The Hierarchy of Needs
by Leaded-Pegasus
Summary: With Gaea finally conquered, Percy Jackson returns home with the other Heroes of Olympus to their old lives at Camp Half Blood. But before long, the demigods realize that their bloodied, war-torn pasts may not be as far behind them as they would hope. He tries to restore what once existed, and he tries to lead as normal a life as possible as an adult.
1. Chapter One: Air

**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm finally back with a new story! With the fifth and final book arriving in the Heroes of Olympus series, I wanted to write this. I came up with the idea a while back, but I only just had the time to get it down. I've based this story following the events of Blood of Olympus, as the group, Percy specifically, try to rebuild their lives. I also based this off of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which starts with basic necessities that you need to live like air, food etc. before developing into things that you live _for_. So, I hope you all enjoy, and I hope that this was a clear enough explanation!**

**Rating: M for slight violence, language, and a few implied adult themes. I'm not sure how far I'm willing to go with the adult themes, but not into extremely graphic detail. But needless to say, it's not for kids. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, or any other characters from the series. All of them belong to Rick Riordan.**

* * *

**Chapter One: Air**

_Air (Noun)-A mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and minute amounts of other gases that surrounds the earth and forms its atmosphere._

If and when you found out that you were a demigod, there were no guarantees. No promises, no contracts to sign, other than a seemingly intangible one with which you were inadvertently signing your life away. There was no going back, even if you didn't intentionally seek out becoming a demigod. _If_ you were discovered in time and _if_ you survived the trek back to camp, you were considered lucky. It seemed as though being a demigod came with a lot of _ifs_, and it was only recently that Percy Jackson had really accepted that fact.

Most dangerous or taxing occupations typically had some sort of reward system, something that you would reap the benefit from, or at least some did, anyway. Whether it was a generous sum of money or some other favor, they paid off in the end in some form or another. But a life as a demigod was quite the contrary. Percy figured that the gods viewed the chance of leading at least somewhat of a normal life was enough of a gift. But for many of Percy's friends, allies, or even the campers before him, that wasn't always a promise. Even something as simple yet so significant as settling down and having a family could dwindle with one false step or action on a quest, or anywhere besides the boundaries of Camp Half Blood.

Percy sat perched at the edge of his bed, with his feet lightly grazing the floor. His hands and arms noticeably trembled as he weakly kicked his legs back and forth, as he tried to regain control of his ecstatic breathing. He brought a shaking hand up to flatten the stray cowlick curling on the back of his head as he tried to recall the date. How long had it been, two, three months since they had returned? Percy glanced out the front window of his cabin, revealing only a pitch black square from the lack of light outside. Well, he knew it was late at night, at the very least.

It was only then that Percy realized how clammy he was. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead like rain on a windowpane, and he swiftly brushed it away with the back of his hand. He sighed, as he was still unsure of the date. He vividly remembered the day that they had all returned from the fight against Gaea. Many of the campers were beyond tired, and still recovering from the battle between them and the Romans. But, they managed to pull together in order to support the heroes, and give them a warm welcome home. While Percy and the rest of the group wanted nothing more than to be alone, they all managed to put on their best smiles.

The celebrations didn't last long, however, even with their adequate acting skills. After a few too many interrupted nights of screaming from one of the seven's night terrors, it became clear that they would be far better off if they were left in the solitude of wherever suited them. For most of them, the privacy of their respective cabins was adequate for their recovery. Leo, however, prefered the isolation that Bunker Nine provided. It was a rarity to see them outside of their cabins. And as the days went by, it was almost a non-existent event. And eventually, someone would have to bring them their meals, in order to keep the demigods from starving themselves in the midst of their own coping.

Percy rubbed his eyes, before grimacing slightly at the soreness of his throat. One of his hands drifted downwards, ghosting over it. From the rawness he could feel with each intake of saliva, he was almost certain that he had been screaming some point in one of his inevitable nightmares. He eyed the half-empty bottle of water laying on the ground by his feet, as he quickly scooped it up. Percy unscrewed the cap and downed what was left of the water, ignoring the musty taste that it had taken on from remaining in the bottle for so long. The coolness of the water soothed his throat, and he sighed with slight contentment.

He leaned forward, carelessly tossing the empty bottle aside as he rested his elbows on his legs. Percy glared downwards with his weary and exhausted eyes, as the sharp, paralyzing images of his nightmare from earlier returned. It was difficult to not think about, but even harder to stop thinking about. There were flashes of him and Annabeth, holding onto each other for dear life as they fell to the depths of Tartarus. The cold, chilling whispers of former adversaries crept through his ears like leeches, making his skin break out with goose bumps. Laughing, whether it took on an impish taunt, or filled filled pure evil, overwhelmed the broadcast playing through his ears, until Percy finally snapped out of his relapse from the hell of his nightly incubus.

He tried to draw in a huge breath of air, but no avail. It caught in his throat halfway through, as he gagged from the struggle. Percy gasped for air, desperately trying to remember how to breathe correctly. He continued to cough and sputter, grasping the front of his shirt with one of his hands. A strangled, guttural noise was all that managed to escape Percy's throat as he struggled for air. It only grew worse as it continued on, his vision tunneling.

And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he was suddenly and unexpectedly given back his ability to breathe. They were short and labored at first, but it was sufficient enough for him at that point. Percy flopped backwards onto his bed, panting. Sweat had crept onto his forehead again, but this time, he made no effort to wipe it away. He stared up at the boards holding up the unoccupied bed above his, and he let out a weary sigh, filled with exasperation and exhaustion-Similar to that of a sob.

Percy felt his eyes well up with tears slightly, but he just barely managed to force them back with a forced scowl. And despite how relieving the brief release of tenseness felt, he wouldn't bring himself to cry, even if he was in the privacy of his cabin. He felt as though it would only further humiliate him. He looked around, knowing that if he spent another second in the cabin, it would probably send him spiraling into a panic attack. His feet scoured the surrounding floor as he continued to lay back, until they landed on both of his sandals. It was then that he sat up, wiggling his feet through the various straps and buckles without much effort. He shuffled quietly out the door, and onto the dark, abandoned grounds of camp.

* * *

He wriggled his way through the arms of his cleanest sweatshirt that he owned, walking in no specific direction. That's how he usually started out, anyways. Percy would simply wander through the grounds of the camp, quietly. The dew that had already accumulated on the blades of grass he walked across brushed his ankles, sprinkling them lightly with the moisture. He made his way past He made his way past the cabins, which were silent as those who lived inside slept. Percy, despite how frequent his sneaking out had become, couldn't help but notice the ominous feeling the camp grounds had at night, when they were abandoned for the evening. It made him feel...Alone. Any average person, if they were to stumble upon Camp Half Blood at the same time that he often took these walks, would assume that it was abandoned. And while he knew that it was anything but that, it was an uncomfortable sight.

Percy walked on, pausing occasionally at certain locations. The volleyball pit, basketball courts, until the stopped at the arena. He leaned against the rough wooden structure that went around the circumference of the enclosed arena made up of sand, running his hands against the worn material. The sliver of moon that was in the sky illuminated the grains of gritty earth inside the ring partially, as he stared blankly at it. Part of him longed and missed the arena, when he could still fight without much of a care in his mind.

But a larger, darker part of him loathed it. While it had given him life in a way, by ensuring that he might fight just another day, it reminded him of a bitter, more recent time, filled with war, violence, and bloodshed. He learned to protect himself, yes, but he learned how to hurt, injure, and kill, as well. Percy used these skills to wipe the monstrous scum that threatened his life, those living, breathing beings that certainly deserved it more than anyone or anything else. And like everything else that came with being a demigod, it came at a cost.

Percy was still alive, but so were the monsters he had slaughtered. Maybe not in flesh, but in spirit. Dark, sinister spirits. Their horrendous faces flickered throughout his nightmares, their chilling voices or guttural calls echoing through his ears. He winced, gripping the wooden railing as he forced the thought of them out from his mind. As he did, a breath of relief escaped him, knowing that he was safe for the time being.

Percy backed away from the arena, walking away from it as quickly as he could without stirring up too much noise. His casual gait had turned into a run, as if all of Tartarus was right on his heels, ready to tear him limb-from-limb if he faltered for even a second. Percy didn't dare to look back over his shoulder, out of fear that his wild imagination might just come horribly true if he did glance back. He kept his gaze fixed forward, where he could see the dark, yet sparkling waves of the ocean. If he could make it in...

By the time the grassy land of the campgrounds had transitioned into the sandy plains of the shore, Percy had broken into a full-on sprint. He kicked up sand as he did, but as he was coming down a steep hill of sand, his food caught in the shifty grit. Percy tumbled downhill-hard, until he was just inches away from the tide. It just barely grazed his hand, which was outstretched towards the water. After a moment of laying in the sand, face-down, he craned it in the direction of the shoreline.

He groaned weakly as he pushed himself up to his knees, which had already turned raw from the combination of the fall, as well as the sand. Finally, he rose to his feet fully, brushing himself off. Percy, once he had purged most of the sand coating him, looked up at the top of the hill. His breath hitched when he saw someone standing at the top, watching him. Panic almost instantly ensued, as he was unsure who it was. Had someone noticed him wandering? Were they going to turn him over to Chiron?

Percy looked around desperately, unsure of what to do, or where to go. Finally, he leapt into the dark tides, swimming down into the depths of the water. He swam down, intending to continue until he went as far as he possibly could. But he began to wonder who it was at the top of the hill. Could it have been one of the others? Jason, Piper...Annabeth?

His mind almost instantly filled with dread at the thought of them, particularly the latter. He stopped swimming downwards, as he perched himself on the ledge of a rock that loomed over a drop-off. Percy's chest weighed down with guilt of his earlier actions over the possibility that it may, in fact, have been one of them. He wanted to go back up, apologize, but he also knew that his cowardice to do so outweighed it. Percy sighed, shaking his head slowly as he did.

What kind of friend was he, what kind of hero could he ever be if he couldn't help them, the people he loved? His head faltered in shaking, and instead, lowered from the shame as his shoulders slumped downwards. Percy breathed in, but it caught in his throat as his eyes grew watery. When he released the failed breath of air, it came out as a sob, followed by another, and another, until he had keeled over.

Jets of bubbles poured from his mouth and nose as he cried, floating up to the surface. And they only grew worse as more time passed, and he sunk deeper into his grief,

"No..." He muttered, followed by a shallow breath, "No, no, no!"

He could feel himself cracking with each moment he spent feeling like a frail, useless, vessel that merely took up space and air. And he wasn't sure what would happen when the seams finally broke. Percy looked upwards, towards the surface of the ocean. He managed to keep his crying under control for a moment, knowing that he would have to return to camp at some point. As he pushed himself back up to his feet, he scowled in slight determination as he swam upwards.

When he broke through the top of the water, the cold breeze blew lightly across his face. Percy frowned slightly, blinking rapidly at the sensation of water running down his face. It was then that he realized how heavy his clothing felt on him, and how wet his hair was. He swam to the shore, assuming that he had accidentally willed himself to turn wet during his time underwater. Finally, he tumbled onto the sand, the sand sticking to his wet clothing like glue.

He sat up, facing the shore as he waited patiently. Percy was sure that whoever he had seen earlier was still around, and that they would come to him. And eventually, they did. They sat down next to him, silently, and without a word. Percy waited for them to speak first.

"You're soaking wet..." She mumbled, brushing a light, gentle hand across his left arm, "...And covered in sand."

Percy let out a low sigh, the voice calming, almost intoxicating.

He managed a weak grin, "Well, I did just go swimming."

"Well," She replied, mimicking his voice slightly, "Knowing you, you take every chance you get to brag about how you can stay dry underwater."

She continued to swipe her hand up and down various parts of his sweatshirt, brushing away the patches of sand. Percy stared at the tide as she did.

"I've missed you, Annabeth."

Annabeth's busy hands faltered at her nickname, before continuing in their work again.

"I've missed you, too, Seaweed Brain," She answered, almost in a whisper.

Her hand drifted down his arm, ghosting over it lightly, before landing on his hand. Percy turned it over, enclosing her hand into his. She sat down beside him, her head nestled into the crook of his neck.

"How did you know I snuck out?" He questioned, lightly caressing his thumb across the top of her hand.

"I've known about your late-night walks for a while," Annabeth replied, "I just...Didn't know whether or not you wanted to be alone. I don't know what anyone wants anymore. The war against Gaea...It's changed all of us."

Percy stared down, "You don't have to know."

"I just feel like they're my responsibility-All of them," She ranted, jumping to her feet, "We were, we are...A team. They can't just be cast away like-like...Garbage."

Annabeth's voice had since raised, but not at him, just out of pure bitterness.

"I know," Percy soothed, "I know...I feel the same exact way. I've spent the last few months, doing nothing but sitting in my cabin, wondering what I could do to help the others. So much so that I've made myself sick at times. But...I think that everyone else is doing the same thing right now. Annabeth-You don't have to do this alone."

He too stood, placing a hand on her shoulder. Annabeth turned, her shoulders slumped.

"Like you said," Percy muttered, "We're a team. We're friends...And we're in it for the long haul together."

As Annabeth nodded, Percy came to the realization that he had just told Annabeth something that he had been trying to tell himself for weeks. But why had it just hit him then, why not sooner? He pulled Annabeth towards him, wrapping his arms around her,

"We can do this," Percy said, kissing the top of her head, "I know we can."

She pulled away from him slightly, just enough to graze a light kiss on his cheek before nestling her face back into his chest.

"Gods," Annabeth sighed, "I've missed you so much."

He blinked his watering eyes rapidly, glancing towards the ocean with a sigh. Percy, after months of pain, isolation, and loneliness, finally felt as though he could start to rebuild. He felt as though he could breathe again.

Percy shook his head slowly, "You have no idea."

* * *

**A/N: *Sigh*...Teen angst. Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter of this story, because there's nine more to follow. I always update my stories every Saturday, so keep your eyes peeled. And as always, guys, thanks so much for reading. I wouldn't be doing this without you.  
**

**Thanks!**  
**Leaded-Pegasus**


	2. Chapter Two: Food

**A/N: Lucky for you guys, this chapter is _long_! I'll be honest, most of the chapters probably won't light a candle to this one when it comes to length. But, I guess we'll just have to see!  
**

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**Chapter Two: Food**

_Food (Noun)-Any nutritious substance that a person or animal can eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order to maintain life and growth._

More time passed by at Camp Half Blood. While the outside world grew crisp and cool as Summer changed to Autumn, the grounds at camp were still warm in an eternal midsummer. But as school started up again, campers slowly began to dwindle. As they returned to their classes, only a small group of campers stayed behind. That included Percy. Of course, there were restrictions, even for them. Following the announcement for the first day at public school in the state, Chiron held a meeting in the dining pavilion.

Campers trickled in casually and slowly, without much protest from Chiron. Since of the majority of campers had left days before, it was more than a break to have peace and quiet. Percy sat at the Poseidon table, and felt a slight, but usual twinge of loneliness. Sitting there was a stark reminder of his parentage, and the fact that he was almost always the only person at that table only made it worse. But the fact that many of the other campers, despite the fact that they had other cabin mates, kept to themselves at their own tables was reassuring in a way. Percy straightened in his seat slightly as Annabeth walked in.

His heart dropped slightly at the dark circles under her eyes. She was exhausted no doubt, like the rest of them. Was that how bad the own bags under his eyes looked? He managed a smile despite his worry as she walked past his table,

"Hi," Percy greeted, "Rough night?"

"Yeah," She confirmed, pursing her lips as she looked over his own face, "But looking at you, I think it's safe to say that I probably slept better."

Annabeth looked around, presumably for any signs of the rest of the group.

"You think they left?" He questioned, also scanning around for them.

After a moment, she shook her head, "I don't think so. I don't remember seeing any of them taking the van back to the city. And if any of them did..."

Annabeth shook her head again, only much more disdainfully,

"Well, let's just hope that's not the case."

He nodded his head in agreement, glancing around one more time around for anyone. But he did a double-take as Piper walked between a pair of columns.

"Look," He said, nodding her direction, "I guess that's a start."

Across the table, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's _definitely_ a start."

Like Percy and Annabeth, she too was disheveled in appearance. Her camp shirt was wrinkled, and her barely-contained bed hair was a dead giveaway of someone who had just barely managed to get themselves together. And the seemingly-characteristic circles under the eye were prominent, even on the dark contrast of her skin. She looked over her shoulder, waving her hand in the direction of the pavilion to someone standing out of sight. The two of them looked into each others eyes, as if searching to see if the other one was sure of who it was.

Finally, the person Piper had been beckoning towards the pavilion appeared alongside her. With a weak, seemingly forced grin, Jason curled his hand into Piper's, and they walked inside. Piper returned the smile, but it too seemed difficult.

"Gods," Percy said quietly, "He looks awful."

"Is it really a surprise?"

Jason and Piper both spotted them, nodding wordlessly as they passed by. They emulated the motion, until they had their backs to the two of them. Percy sighed, rubbing his eyes with his hand,

"Damn it," He muttered with exasperation, "What the hell are we going to do? I can't even figure out how to get any one of them from coming out of their cabins."

Annabeth outstretched an arm, giving his shoulder a reassuring touch.

"Hey," She said, "Don't you remember what you told me on the beach? We're going to get through this-All of us. It's going to take time, but we're not going to stop until all of us are better. Right?"

Percy hesitated slightly. He had been doubting for a long time that he would ever recover from the recent months. And even while some sort of repair was progressing, it was slow and grueling, but only because he had Annabeth to guide him along, and vice-versa. But what about the rest of them? Percy was especially fearful for Leo. He had isolated himself in Bunker Nine, refusing to answer anyone who might arrive at its doorstep. Percy was almost completely faithless at that point that they would ever return to normal.

"Right," He finally answered, for Annabeth's sake. She sighed with a slightly relieved expression, before nodding,

"Good. And don't worry, you know I've always got a plan somewhere up my sleeve."

Percy smirked, regarding the cuffs of her T-shirt, "Well it better be a good one, considering you don't have much for sleeves."

She lightly slapped his arm, "If you're going to be a smart ass, maybe you should come up with a plan, Sweatshirt Guy."

They both laughed amongst themselves with a humorous air. But it was cut off eventually when Chiron loomed over the table, his horse torso and legs giving him a significant height difference.

"The meeting is about to begin," He said, his eyes in Annabeth's direction, "Perhaps you should return to your seat."

She glanced at Percy, then back at Chiron, standing, "Alright, Chiron."

Chiron thanked her, and when she left, he directed his attention to Percy, surveying him intently.

"I suppose I should have said this before sending Annabeth off," He began remorsefully, "But I am sorry I haven't exactly been the most supportive person to you and the rest of The Seven. I've dealt with demigods after battles or other violent skirmishes, but...Not like this."

The centaur looked down at the marble flooring of the pavilion. Percy chewed his lip nervously before earnestly replying,

"Chiron...You don't have to apologize."

"I know it doesn't do you much, but it certainly made me feel alleviated by doing so," He answered, his voice almost silent, "It isn't an easy life for a demigod, and the fact that you all had to go through that-"

His voice hitched, and Percy held back a gasp. Chiron, after a painful moment, raised his head.

"It's not fair, and I'm saddened by the fact that the gods would be so careless as to allow their own children to fight their battles."

Percy yet again had to fight back a surprised gasp, but failed. Never once had he heard Chiron speak poorly of the gods. If anything, he was the one who chided, warned the demigods of blasphemous remarks against the gods.

"Chiron," Percy whispered, before simply adding, "Are you out of your mind?"

He grinned slightly in response, the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes and mouth crinkling, "Perhaps I am."

Percy stuttered a few more times, fearful of providential repercussions, but none came as Chiron trotted away. Once he had made his presence towards the front of the pavilion, he stomped his front left hoof a series of times. Chiron waited for the campers to fall silent before he began to speak,

"Good morning, everyone. Now, for those of you who have stayed here past the busier, summer season, you are aware of the requirements if you are to do so. But, for those of you who might have forgotten, or if this is your first time staying through the fall, then I will relay what is expected of you..."

As he delved more and more into the specific details, Percy slowly felt his mind wandering as he looked past the columns bordering the pavilion, and outside. He beamed slightly when he spotted Hazel and Frank, who trickled in as quietly as possible as not to disrupt Chiron. Hazel's eyes seemed fixated to the ground, and she appeared shell-shocked in a way. Frank walked alongside her, glancing occasionally with a worried expression. When he walked her to the Hades table, she sat down without a word to Frank.

He blinked rapidly a few times, standing beside her a moment longer, before wandering off to the Ares table. Percy sighed to himself. He turned back in the direction of Chiron, but he wasn't paying attention in the least bit. Pity was something that automatically flooded his mind, when he thought of Hazel. Despite the generation gap between him and Hazel, it was the last thing that came to mind, and he still considered her the youngest of the group. While she could technically be old enough to be his grandmother, what with being born in the earlier years of the twentieth century, she was thirteen then and there. No unusual age-preservation phenomenons that were seemingly the norm when it came to the children of Hades would change that fact. But he also knew that the nightmarish actions and things that were involved with taking down Gaea were not, however. And with that, Percy found his mind spiraling into an even more nervous state.

Chiron's voice jarred Percy back to Earth, "If any of you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please feel free to approach me with them. You are excused, and remember to have your class forms filled out by the end of today!"

Campers filed out of the pavilion, and Percy rose from his table. He tried to avoid Chiron's eyesight, knowing that he surely noticed his absence of attention from the meeting. Percy walked over to Annabeth,

"What forms is he talking about?" He questioned under his breath.

"I'm assuming you weren't paying attention?" She answered, quirking an eyebrow, "Don't worry, everyone's got a form waiting for them on their bunks. Hopefully they can find yours amongst the mess you've got in there."

Percy rolled his eyes, "You're one to talk, I'm surprised there hasn't been a fatal accident in your cabin from all of the maps and books stacked everywhere. I mean Malcolm practically lost an eye from a protractor or something..."

"You're over-exaggerating," Annabeth debated, "He only had a patch for a few weeks. And guess what? The eye's still there."

"Okay then," He said, unconvinced, "I guess that settles it."

She shook her head slightly, "Anyhow...Did you come up with anything that we can get started on to help the others? A conversation piece or something?"

"A conversation piece," Percy echoed blandly, "Sure."

Annabeth sighed impatiently, "You're not helping."

"Sorry," He ran a single hand sharply through his hair, almost frantically, "I was hoping you would come up with something."

"Well," She continued, sitting down at the edge of the closest table, "There's one thing I did come up with..."

Percy glanced over hopefully, "Shoot."

"Maybe we could convince them to come with us to pay Leo a visit. Maybe, if all of us are there, he'll answer the door."

He thought for a moment, nodding slowly, "It's just getting them there before they decide to hike it back to their cabins."

Annabeth looked in the direction of their friends, who were just beginning to leave. She shrugged, glancing over to Percy,

"Now is as good a time as any," Annabeth rose, "Let's get over there before they leave."

They walked across the pavilion at a speedy pace, until Annabeth tapped Piper's shoulder. She turned, appearing legitimately surprised that they had approached her.

"Annabeth-Percy...How are you guys?"

Percy frowned as he stared at the back of his blonde head, as Piper and Annabeth made small talk.

"So," Piper continued with a sigh, "It's been a while..."

"Yeah," Annabeth replied solemnly, "It has been."

Piper leaned her weight side-to-side on either foot,

"Have you talked to anyone else besides us? Like Hazel and Frank? Leo, maybe?"

She shook her head, "No, you two are the first people we've talked to since we got back."

The already-present tenseness looming around them grow even more poignant, and Percy took an interest at his flip-flops suddenly. Since when had they gotten so dirty? Annabeth struggled for an answer to this remark,

"Well," She said, clearing her throat, "Percy and I were planning on visiting Leo. He hasn't been answering us alone, but maybe if you guys, along with Hazel and Frank came, he might let us in."

"I..." She faltered, "I think that's a great idea. What about you, Jason?"

He continued to stare outside, silent, and without any reply, he walked away. Annabeth's hopeful smile melted into an almost disappointed frown, while Piper's lower lip trembled slightly. Percy's face grew flushed and hot, as he clenched each fist alternatively.

"I'm sorry," Piper apologized, "He's just been so...Blank. It's like talking to a damn wall sometimes!"

Annabeth was quick to soothe her attempts to forgive Jason's actions. Percy stormed out of the pavilion, following closely behind Jason.

"Percy, where are you going?" Annabeth called behind him.

He sped up his gait in order to catch up to Jason, ignoring her. And when he was in arm's length, he clamped his hand down on Jason's left shoulder, forcing him to face him. His blue eyes glared down at Percy, intense as knife points.

"What the hell are you doing?" He demanded, abruptly swiping Percy's hand away.

Percy shook his head, "I think _I_ should be the one asking that, Jason."

"I'm doing what's best for me, as well as everyone else-Staying away. Do you really believe a room-full of PTSD demigods is going to do anything? I don't think so. And so far, what we've all been doing, avoiding each other, is the only thing that we can really do at this point."

"No," Percy answered angrily, his knuckles turning white, "You're wrong."

Jason sneered cruelly, an expression foreign to his face,

"What? You think that just because you _occasionally_ man up enough to leave your cabin makes you better than the rest of us?"

"I...Never...Said that," Percy responded between slightly heavy breaths in a quiet manner, "You think you're being helpful? Avoiding everyone? If anything... You're just selfish."

The corner of Jason's lip twitched,

"Percy...You better take it back."

"No...Not when you know that I'm right," He protested in a measured tone.

Jason stepped forward, mere inches from Percy, "Take it back..._Now_."

"I won't."

Jason's flattened palm flew forward, ramming into the center of Percy's chest. He was sent sprawling backwards, as he landed on his back into the grass. Heads poked out of cabins, conversations grew hushed, even the group of campers playing volleyball halted their game. Annabeth and Piper noticed.

"Jason!" Piper yelled, running down the hill towards them, "That is _enough_!"

While Jason held back from continuing anymore fighting, he continued to stare at Percy with a furious gleam in his eyes. Piper stood between him and Percy as Annabeth crouched down beside him,

"Jason," She said his name again, only in a more calming tone, "You need to calm down."

Annabeth curled a strand of hair back over her ear, "Are you alright?"

He nodded a few times, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Come on," She helped Percy to his feet.

Percy brushed himself off once before regarding Jason directly,

"You of all people should know," He began, "Being a leader doesn't stop when the fighting does. And neither do the responsibilities. Just keep that in mind."

Piper braced her hands on Jason's chest as he stepped towards Percy. But as his anger ceded, and the tenseness in his body unraveled, he stopped in his tracks. Annabeth put a hand on Percy's shoulder,

"Let's go."

* * *

"I would say that I messed up your plan, but I'm pretty sure that would be a serious understatement," Percy said as they walked along, "There's another word that might be more suitable, but I'm sure that with my luck, Chiron would somehow hear me, and I'd end up cleaning stalls for a week for it."

Annabeth grinned as he formed his last comment,

"Don't beat yourself up about it. I think...I think that what you said to Jason helped him get it together a bit."

Percy, whose right hand was inter-locked with Annabeth's, slipped their hands into the pocket of his sweatshirt.

"From where I was standing, the only thing I did was thoroughly piss him off."

"From where I was standing," Annabeth deflected, "The only thing that was going on was some sibling rivalry carrying on through two certain gods' sons."

He narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared down Annabeth mischievously,

"What are you implying, exactly?"

She shrugged innocently, "Two sons from the Big Three? That's not always the best formula. All I'm saying is that you two aren't really angry, per say, at each other."

"Are you sure?" He questioned, chuckling, "Because I'm pretty pissed at him."

"No," Annabeth disagreed, "You're just mad about all of...This. The whole situation as to what's going on right now."

Percy grew silent on comments as he thought about Annabeth's suggestion.

"Sure, you and Jason have butted heads plenty of times in the past, but it's always been about opposing views on leadership. That's all it's ever been. And no matter what, it will never tarnish what you two have as a friendship."

He pursed his lips slightly as he sighed, "Right as always, Annabeth."

Percy glanced over his shoulder, "I really do hope what I said changed his mind. But anyways...Did you manage to recruit Hazel and Frank into coming along?"

"No," She answered, shaking her head, "They ran off before I had a chance to talk to them about it."

"Damn it."

"Don't worry, Piper's still tagging with us," Annabeth encouraged.

Percy glanced down at the grass, "This whole time I've been hoping that maybe Leo wouldn't talk to us because we weren't his, I don't know, old friends, per say. Maybe if she does end up going, he'll answer us for once."

Annabeth shook her head slowly with uncertainty, "Here's hoping, I guess."

"Yeah," He agreed, "Here's hoping."

* * *

Percy and Annabeth continued on their walk to Bunker Nine, weapons ready as they walked through the forest.

"I'm _really_ not in the mood to be fighting monsters today."

Annabeth let out a trembling sigh, "Ditto on that one."

"If Leo's going to lock himself in that bunker all day, the least he could do is build a ramp in the trees or something so we don't have to kill off a monster every time we come out here," He complained.

Percy glanced down at the hand he was wielding his sword with, and swallowed forcefully as he realized how much it was trembling.

As willing as he was to visit Leo, the fact that they had to travel through a fair portion of the forest was not enjoyable. Overall, it was an amazing place, filled with even more amazing sights. But it was jam-packed with monsters and other creatures that were deemed non-compatible with demigods. It usually paid off, and it was a rarity for them to encounter something. There had been a few occasions, of course, where they had a run-in with a less-threatening, but hostile nevertheless, monster.

Percy adjusted the grip of his sword-wielding hand, as it had already grown slick with sweat. They proceeded through the thick underbrush and trees with caution, but they jumped at every small noise that they heard in the forest. He turned around, glancing in the direction of the campgrounds. He could still see the cabins through the treeline.

"Gods, we've barely moved," He huffed with anxiety.

"We've got plenty of time."

Percy swallowed the knot that had seemingly grown in his throat, "I wasn't talking about the time."

She nodded, "...I know you weren't."

He tapped his thumb on the sword grip rapidly, and noticed Annabeth's gaze fixated on the motion. She reached a hand out, before wrapping it around his. Percy's nervous tapping faltered, before he slowly stopped it completely.

"I think they avoid us now, you know."

Percy gazed curiously at Annabeth, "Why do you think that?"

"We've been to hell and back-literally. I'm sure they caught wind of how many of them we took down with us."

He smirked, "D'you think they have a blacklist with demigods? Avoid these demigods at all cost, or something? Tartarus' Most Wanted?"

"Maybe not," Annabeth replied in between laughs, "But we can never really be sure..."

From behind them, the sounds of feet tramping close behind echoed through the woods, along with breaking twigs and branches. Percy and Annabeth both whirled around, weapons ready. Piper jogged towards them,

"Wait up!"

"Gods, you guys walk fast. Here, catch," She tossed Percy a bundle that had been tossed over her shoulder, before crouching down and putting her hands on her knees, panting.

Percy unraveled the cloth, revealing the Cornucopia she had often brought with her when they were all on the quest still.

"What's this for? You weren't expecting to be launching honey hams at monsters, were you?"

She rose from her slumped position, "No, but I figured Leo must be starving. Who knows what he's been living off of in that Gods-forsaken bunker."

Annabeth nodded in agreement, "Ramen only tastes so good for so long."

Percy threw the Cornucopia back to Piper, and she slung it over her shoulder again. They three of them were ready to continue on towards Bunker 9, but the sound of more pairs of feet yet again came towards them. Jason, along with Hazel and Frank came to a stop alongside them.

"I thought you said you weren't coming," Percy greeted with some hostility, regarding Jason.

He nodded, "I wasn't going to. But, like someone told me, being a leader doesn't stop when you get home from the war. And neither do the responsibilities. But most importantly, being a friend doesn't stop."

Piper embraced Jason for a brief moment. As they did, Percy regarded Hazel and Frank,

"We heard you guys talking about visiting Leo, we thought we'd come along, too," Frank explained.

Percy blinked, his eyes slightly fogged,

"Well," He managed, "I'm glad you decided to go."

Hazel managed a smile, and though it was faint, it wasn't in the least bit forced, "We were happy to."

Jason waved them on, "Come on, Leo's had himself locked in there too long."

The rest of the group walked past Percy, as he stood still. Annabeth stayed behind as well,

"Percy," She said, tipping his chin up with her thumb, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He answered truthfully, swiping his eye with the heel of his palm, "I'm just...Overwhelmed. I'm glad that this worked out."

"So am I," Annabeth said, pulling him towards her, "I really think this is going to help them."

She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, leaning upwards slightly as she kissed him faintly on the lips.

"I think it's helping me. And I sure as hell know you are," Percy added, returning the kiss, "I don't know what I would've done without your help."

"And I don't know what I would've done without yours."

* * *

Quite some time had passed as the group traveled through the forest, despite the fact that they were moving along at a fast pace. It was a vast place, and the hanging paranoia of a monster ambush hindered them slightly. But overtime, they arrived at the front doors of Bunker Nine. Percy cleared his throat,

"So, who's going to knock?"

Jason stepped forward without question. He slammed his closed fist on the doors, "Leo? It's us, we all decided to stop over for a-er, a visit."

Jason knocked a few more times, repeating a similar statement as he had earlier. Eventually, Percy started to knock as well, but to no avail. He leaned against the dense stone doors, in an attempt to hear any faint sound behind them.

Shaking his head, he walked away from them, "Gods, you think he would've heard us by now."

Percy glanced at the others, but their eyes were seemingly staring at the door longingly, and full of hope. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. As much as he wanted to just invite himself in by simply opening the doors, they were sealed shut, which quickly eliminated that option. Percy leaned against the door, pondering over what could possibly coax Leo into opening them. Finally, something came to mind,

He knocked again, "C'mon, Leo...We didn't walk all this way for the view."

Percy glanced over his shoulder, waving one hand toward the door.

"Egg him on," He mouthed to them.

This seemed to snap them out of their fixation on the door, and one by one, they started chiming in with various things,

"Come on, Leo!"

"Let us in!"

"We'll wait out here all night if we have to-"

They all jumped, faltering in their cheering when the doors were pulled in towards the interior of the bunker. Percy winced slightly, out of fear of what their friend might look like. Leo stood in the doorway, hunched in the fading light,

"Do you think you could possibly make anymore noise? Come on...Before half of the forest comes after you."

He stepped aside, making room for them to enter. For a moment, they all stood still, perhaps in disbelief.

"Gods," Leo sighed impatiently, "Did I stutter?"

He urged them inside forcefully, corralling them. Once they were all inside, Leo slammed the doors shut, before turning to glare at them. Percy was honestly surprised at his friend's appearance. Granted, he had clearly seen better days, but his clothes weren't anymore covered in motor oil or anymore charred than they usually were. But the defiant bright light in his eyes was practically to the point of being extinguished. And like the rest of them, there were the common, black bags under his eyes, still visible on the thin layer of grime on his face.

He leaned against a nearby workbench,

"Well," Leo began, almost sounding bored, "It's been a while."

Annabeth stepped forward, "We...Tried, you know, to get you to answer the door. But you haven't been answering. What made you change your mind?"

He shrugged, standing from his resting spot as he walked past them,

"Nothing, really. The only reason I let you guys in now is because you probably attracted every monster within a mile-radius. The last thing I needed was _that_ at my front doors."

Leo loomed over something at one of the tables, but he blocked it from their sights. With his back turned, they all looked amongst themselves with uncertainty. When no one said anything, Piper stepped in,

"I brought the Cornucopia. All of us haven't been eating much as it is, and-"

"Look," Leo interrupted as he swiveled in their direction, "I really wasn't expecting visitors today. I appreciate the thought you guys, I really do. It's just..."

He trailed off with a sigh, before turning back again,

"Please. Just leave me alone. You can stay here for the night, but..."

Leo paid them no attention as he continued his work on his obscured project. They stared at his back in shock from his words. A few released quiet sighs, as they walked towards the door to leave. Jason raised his hand, silently telling them to wait. He took near-silent steps towards Leo, who was clearly aware that they were still in the bunker. His back was poised, tense, as if he was ready for more pleading or desperate attempts at small talk.

"Leo," He began quietly, just barely loud enough for the rest to hear, "I-_We_, all know how you feel. And I'm sorry that it took so long for all of us to finally see you. We all had our own ways of coping, and only now can we all really start to heal. But we can't move on without you on board."

He shook his head at Jason, "What good am I going to do? I've always been the seventh wheel in this group, the weakest link in the chain."

Jason winced, pausing a moment, "Leo, you know that's not true."

"I thought...I thought all of you would be better by now. I thought that for once I would be doing something good for our group by staying away."

"If there was one thing I was counting on in order to recover," Jason said with a grin, "Was that sense of humor of yours."

Leo laughed under his breath, glancing away more. But it didn't take long for his faint trembles of laughter to turn into sobs that racked his body until he was doubled-over on his workbench. Eventually, one escaped his attempt at stifling them, and it echoed lightly, but excruciatingly through the hangar-sized room. Jason raised a hand uncomfortably towards Leo's back, and finally patted it in order to comfort.

The whole group slowly flocked towards Leo, as each and everyone of them braced each other in a giant embrace. Almost all of them began to spout silent tears from the corners of their eyes. They stayed that way for a long time, but it seemed as though no matter how long they remained locked together, it wouldn't be long enough. But eventually, they broke away, laughing quietly amongst themselves at the moment they had all just shared together. Leo rubbed his eyes quickly,

"Damn it, guys," He laughed weakly, "You made me all teary-eyed."

"You made _me_ all teary-eyed," Piper retorted, swiping away her own eyes.

"I'm moved," Leo said, "You came all this way...Just to bring me food."

Percy laughed along with everyone else. Granted, Leo, had joined the ranks with the rest of them on the count of being far from well again. But it made him feel a million times more better than he had felt in a long time, now that he was once again reunited with every single one of his old friends again. And that made him feel more accomplished than he had ever felt in his entire life.

* * *

The group ate their weight from the food the Cornucopia provided. Sitting on the cleanest drop-clothes Leo had packed away, they toasted pieces of cheese and ham on bread over the small fire they had on the sturdy concrete floor. They passed around fresh fruits. Cherries, oranges, grapes, until none of them could eat another bite. Leo's project, a small, scale model of the Argo II sailed through the air above them slowly, as if traveling through honey.

When they were done eating, there were short lengths of time where they were silent, watching the small ship drift freely through the air. But eventually, it would descend back down into Leo's lap, where he would have to wind it up again. During that time, they would make small talk with each other, no matter what it was about. It was small talk, yes, but Percy wouldn't ask for anything more from his friends. Whether it was a one minute conversation, or time spent with them in silence, watching the mini-Argo II fly above, he was content.

Each "couple" seemed to have taken a spot on a separate drop-cloth from the others, while Leo busied himself by tending to the fire or resetting the model ship. Percy laid on his side, his head in Annabeth's lap as she fiddled with the intricate curls and waves in his locks of hair. He was picking at a stray grape on his plate before a voice said,

"Thank you."

They glanced over to Leo, who was absentmindedly winding the Argo II as he stared intently into the fire. Finally, he looked up.

"For what?" Hazel inquired.

Leo stood, throwing the ship into the air as one would throw a paper airplane. It soared quickly at first, before slowing down back to its regular speed.

"For coming here," He answered, sitting down again, "I needed the company. Using projects as a distraction only takes you so far."

Jason shook his head, "Leo, you don't have to thank us. It was an obligation for us to do this, not a favor."

"We all wanted to come see you," Hazel chimed, and Frank nodded in agreement.

Leo breathed a long, lengthy sigh, before nodding,

"Okay."

They were all silent again, before a loud yawn emanated from Frank,

"Gods, I'm tired," He mumbled.

Piper bit her lip, "Too bad none of us can go to sleep for a reasonable amount of time."

"You know," Percy said, rolling over so he was looking up at Annabeth, "I feel like I could actually go to sleep."

"I second Percy on that one," Jason agreed, "For once, I'm not really scared of going to sleep."

Piper looked towards the doors leading outside, "And there's no way that we can get back to camp at this point without tripping over our feet. It must be midnight at this point."

Jason shrugged, reclining back on the drop-cloth, "I guess it doesn't hurt to at least try and sleep, right?"

A few nodded, while the rest muttered words of agreement. Piper followed Jason's lead, as well as Hazel and Frank. Leo shook his head, standing,

"You guys have fun sleeping on cold concrete," He grumbled, "I'm sleeping in an actual bed...Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Leo," Annabeth muttered.

"Sweet dreams, Leo," Percy added in a sing-song voice.

Leo shot a brief glare in his direction, followed by a small grin before he wandered off. Annabeth continued to run her hands through Percy's hair as he stared up at the ceiling, which was obscured in the darkness.

"Job well done, Annabeth," He muttered.

"Hmm? For what?" She questioned softly.

Percy shrugged, "You're the one who came up with this."

Annabeth nodded, "True. But like Jason said, this was an obligation, not a favor."

"Well," He said, leaning upwards towards, "Thank you. You're brilliant."

Annabeth lightly cupped a hand on the back of his head, leaning in slowly as she planted a kiss on his lips. He returned the kiss, breathing in slightly as he tucked a loose strand of hair over her ear. Their kisses fluctuated from slow, affectionate ones, to faster, more passionate ones. And when they stopped for air, they started the cycle over again. But finally, too tired to go any further, they stopped. In the dying light of the fire, the two of them stared longingly into each others complex eyes, each of them wanting something more from the other.

Percy let out a breathy laugh, biting his lip as he glanced away.

"Sorry," He muttered apologetically.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, too."

Percy glanced up at her, nodding slowly. Annabeth ghosted a hand across his cheek.

"I guess we should go to sleep."

"Yeah," He agreed quietly, laying down on the cloth, "I guess we should."

Annabeth laid down alongside him, nuzzling her face lightly into the front of his shirt.

"Percy?"

"Yeah?"

Annabeth leaned towards his ear, whispering, "I hope you know I feel the same way."

He stared up again, smiling faintly, and in the final flicker of light from the fire, he could see the Argo II still sailing quietly as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it was a little late today guys, and sorry if the quality of it is a little bad. My computer is more or less broken, so I'm using my sister's laptop and didn't want to be greedy in the time spent borrowing it. Hopefully, my laptop will be working again by this time next week.**

**Thanks for reading,**  
**Leaded-Pegasus**


	3. Chapter Three: Warmth

**A/N: Finally, it's Saturday! I hope you guys have been reading Blood of Olympus, because, well, you've gotta! I read all of it through Wednesday, and let me just say, I didn't take the series being over so well. Who kn****ows how long I cried? But at least there's plenty of fanart and fanfiction to go around, or there will be eventually. If any of you are in the same emotional state as me, well, hopefully this will cheer you up.  
**

* * *

** Chapter Three: Warmth**

_Warmth (Noun)-The quality, state, or sensation of being warm; moderate and comfortable heat._

The heavy tramping of Percy's footsteps pounded in his ears as he jogged through a damp forest. Dead, murky brown leaves were crushed under his foot as he stepped over them, becoming obliterated in his path. As he ran, the abscess water in his boots had made his socks soggy, causing an irritating, sopping sort of noise. He glanced ahead, and in the little illumination left over from the sunset ahead, he could see Annabeth, running at full speed. Percy broke into a quick sprint, before slowing down alongside Annabeth,

"Annabeth," He said, panting, "I think we can stop now."

She shook her head, "Not a chance. We're not stopping until we've made enough distance between us and them."

Percy nodded in understanding, despite the fact that he wasn't exactly thrilled that they would still be running for quite a while. He readjusted the straps of his backpack, clamping them in his hands tightly,

"Just when I thought we had finally gotten a peaceful vacation with my mom and Paul," He began to grumble, "There just _had_ to be a pack of Hellhounds, right when we were packing to leave."

Beside him, Annabeth grinned,

"Almost."

She began to slow down, panting steadily. Percy emulated her, slowing down as well,

"Finally," He muttered.

Annabeth, after a few more paces, stopped completely. Looking back behind them, she nodded,

"Alright. I think we're far enough from the river."

He shivered, "That was the coldest water I've been in."

Annabeth quirked an eyebrow, "Why are you complaining? At least you didn't get soaking wet."

"Well," He muttered, looking at his drenched boots, "I stepped in a puddle back there. Does that count?"

She swatted his arm lightly, "Of course not. Now come on, help me get a fire going."

Percy glanced around, squinting with difficulty in the darkness. He crouched down, throwing his bag onto the forest floor.

"We'll be lucky to find any dry wood," He said doubtfully, digging through his backpack, "Hopefully I packed a lighter in my bag..."

Percy pulled his toboggan hat from his eyes, as he continued searching through his bag. Finally, he grasped a flashlight. He pawed around for the switch on it, and a light beamed on.

"I'll try getting the tent set up," Annabeth offered.

Percy stopped abruptly in his scavenging. She looked over at him slowly.

"You _were_ carrying the tent earlier...Right?"

He sighed, "Well, I _was_. But I...May or may not have dropped it?"

After a moment, she exhaled quietly in response. His eyes, in the uncomfortable atmosphere, drifted away from Annabeth and back towards his back, landing right on the lighter sitting in it.

"Found the lighter," He stated, brandishing the bright yellow starter. Flipping the wheel a few times, a flame finally started, "At least it works."

"Here," Percy said, tossing the flashlight to Annabeth, "Help me look for some kindling."

He rose from his hunched posture over the bag, walking alongside Annabeth with the ignited lighter as they scanned the ground. Percy noticed she was visibly trembling,

"Hey, if I had known you were that cold, I would've made you stay with the bag."

Annabeth shook her head, "I'm fine. We just need to get a fire going so I can get my clothes dried out."

They walked along, streams of foggy white vapor escaping from their noses and mouths. But they both decided not to stray too far from where they had started, as they didn't want to lose track of their back and get lost. And when they returned to their hasty campsite, they only had a few adequately dry branches between them. Percy took the branches Annabeth had,

"I think there might be a small blanket in the bag that's mostly dry."

She shook her head, "Thanks, but I really shouldn't get anymore wet than I already am."

He grinned, crouching down as he swiped away a spot to build a small fire,

"I don't think you can, but it's your call."

Percy collected a few nearby stones, forming them into a circle. He piled the branches, snapping the larger ones into smaller sizes.

"You know, this reminds me of our first quest together," Annabeth mused, "After that bus got ambushed by the Furies and we had to make a run for it into the woods."

He shook his head with a smirk as he put the ignited lighter close to the branches and dried-out pine needles he had collected separately,

"I remember that, and I remember that it was awful."

"Yeah," She agreed quietly, "It was...Still, I can't help but look back on it a little bit fondly."

Percy looked up at her for a moment, nodding, before going back to work on the fire.

"Me too."

Finally, a flame flickered to life in the bed of pine needles, before slowly working their way towards the branches. He sighed with contentment as he put his hands close to the growing fire, warming the cold tips of his fingers. Annabeth got closer to it, as well. While it was at a satisfactory temperature for Percy, whose feet were the only part of his body wet, Annabeth was still shivering profusely. He thought for a moment, before peeling off his fleece jacket,

"Here, take this," Percy offered.

She smiled faintly with gratitude before leaning in to hug him,

"Thanks, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, breaking away.

She stood, lowering her arms to the bottom of her shirt. As she began to pull it up, Percy scowled out of confusion before quickly looking away,

"Annabeth, what the hell are you doing?"

"Relax," Annabeth grumbled, "You don't have to be such a prude."

He pursed his lips, scowling, "I'm not a prude, but it would have been a good idea to give me some fair warning before you started stripping down."

"Don't worry, I'm leaving my undergarments on. The rest I'm putting by the fire to dry, okay? Your eyes won't be traumatized, I assure you that."

Percy's scowl deepened as his face grew hot. He knew that it was probably crimson red, especially in the light of the fire. Annabeth tapped his shoulder,

"You can stop flinching now."

Percy looked away, and saw Annabeth standing close by, standing in front of a tree branch. He forced his eyes to focus on the back of her head only, as to not wander anywhere else. Finally, he simply glared into the fire as he felt his blushing only grow stronger.

"You look like you just got a sunburn," Annabeth observed, sitting down beside him as she draped his coat over her shoulders.

He thought that his face couldn't get any warmer, but at that point, it felt like his face was going to melt off,

"I'm uh-" Percy stuttered, "I've just been sitting too close to the fire."

He could see Annabeth look over at him,

"Okay..." She responded, clearly unconvinced.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, before she chimed in again, "Percy, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," He answered, handing her his fleece, "It's just...I didn't want to make you uncomfortable earlier, is all."

"Believe me," Annabeth pulled the jacket over her head, "From where I was standing, I don't think I was the one who was uncomfortable."

Percy sighed, his eyes fixated on the fire until Annabeth gently guided his head towards him. She touched the side of it lightly, cupping her hand around his temple area.

"Percy," Annabeth whispered, "We've been dating each other for a few years now, and we've know each other even longer. I trust you with my life. And with that kind of trust, I'm as comfortable around you as anyone could humanly be with someone."

Percy glanced back towards the fire, as did Annabeth. They sat in silence for a long time, but do to the lack of wood, it didn't take long for it to begin to die out.

He stood, clearing this throat, "I'll look for some more firewood."

"Okay," Annabeth responded, "Thanks."

"Yeah."

* * *

Scooping the flashlight off the ground, he headed deeper into the woods, away from their campsite. He stooped over occasionally, examining a branch or twig to scale its dryness. If he found one dry enough, he'd tuck it under his arm before continuing on. Percy thought to himself about what Annabeth had said earlier, about how she trusted him with her life. She had been so open about her feelings towards him.

While he felt the same exact way about her, he was too much of an idiot and a coward to say so. Percy almost wanted to slap himself on the forehead for just sitting there. He leaned against a tree, sighing in frustration,

"Gods damn it," Percy muttered, looking back towards their campsite.

He could faintly see the light from the little fire, but it was slightly obscured from his view by the trees. Percy almost didn't want to go, in order to save himself from the sheer embarrassment from what he had done earlier. Or rather, the lack of what he had done. He gripped the firewood in his arms, drawing in a sigh. Percy trampled back to the campsite, pausing at the edge of the small clearing that they were located in.

Annabeth realized he was standing there, and acknowledged him.

"There you are," She said, "I was starting to think you got lost."

He blinked a few times, before dropping the branches at his feet. She looked down at the ground nearby him, then back up at him,

"Percy? Are you alright?"

Percy walked towards her quickly, dropping to his knees by her side. Their faces were only mere inches from each other. He took her face in his hands, pulling her towards him. After a brief kiss, he muttered breathlessly,

"I love you. Gods, I probably never act like it, but I do. I really do."

She wrapped her hands around his, pulling them close to her,

"I just," He let out a flustered breath, "I was acting like a dumb-ass earlier by not saying anything. Not that that's anything new."

Annabeth laughed quietly in response,

"Percy, I knew you were thinking the same exact thing that I was saying. I never doubted it. Besides, I can read your face like a book most of the time."

"And how's that?"

She shook her head, grinning as she put a flattened hand against his face,

"You blush more than you probably think."

Percy laughed, "Yeah, yeah."

"And," Annabeth continued, narrowing her eyes intently, "You always get this thoughtful kind of look when you start to space out."

"I do?"

She nodded slowly, "Yeah...You do."

"Wow," He remarked, impressed, "Better than what I can do."

"What can you read on my face, then?"

Percy leaned back slightly, tucking a loose strand of hair over her ear, something that he did often,

"Well," Percy began, "Most of the time, you've got a pretty intense expression. It's in your eyes. But when you do lighten up a bit...It's special to see."

Percy and Annabeth both stared intently at each other as he said these words, and they both grew quiet again as they did. And then, as if they shared the same thought, their lips collided quickly, and abruptly. The two of them both closed their eyes, as their fast, almost aggressively passionate actions continued. Annabeth leaned back, still kissing Percy a multitude of times. Their breathing quickly sped up as their affections grew longer in duration. She rested her head on Percy's backpack, which had been laying nearby. They broke away for a moment, both out of breath.

They were ready to lean in for more kisses, but as their lips brushed, the sound of footsteps coming in their direction interrupted them,

"Hello?" A man's unfamiliar voice called, "Is anyone there?"

It was a fair distance away. He broke away, smiling faintly as he stood,

"Over here!" He called, looking down at Annabeth again.

She grinned up at him slightly, as she crept over to retrieve her clothes. Eventually, the light beam from a flashlight could be seen bobbing here and there. The owner of the voice appeared at the edge of their campsite, sporting a ranger's outfit,

"You kids alright?" He asked, "We heard about the pack of wolves that ran through the campground. It's odd, really, wolves don't tend to come through the campsite. But anyways, your parents came by Mister..."

"Jackson," Percy filled in.

"Your parents came by, Mister Jackson," The ranger repeated, "Saying that you two got scared at headed for the hills."

He took off his hat, scratching his head as he yawned,

"They're waiting for you back at the campgrounds, worried sick, of course. But the trail leading back isn't far, so I'll take you there as soon as you stomp out the rest of your fire."

Percy regarded the small flame leftover in the bed of embers,

"Oh, right."

He kicked it down, and doused it with the leftover water bottle in his bag for good measure. The park ranger nodded,

"Alright, follow me, then."

Percy tossed his backpack back onto his shoulders, while Annabeth pulled on her still-soggy socks and boots.

"My mom's going to flip when she sees how soaked you are," He warned.

Annabeth shrugged, taking his hand in hers. The park ranger was up ahead, too occupied in whistling to pay much attention in them.

"Well," Percy muttered, almost mischievously, "That was...Fun."

Annabeth laughed quietly, "I don't know if fun would be the word I would use to describe it. But maybe something similar. But maybe..."

Percy saw that in the light that the ranger's flashlight was giving off, Annabeth's face had grown flushed,

"Maybe we can finish what we started back there."

He felt his own face grow warm,

"I-I, um..."

"Just say yes, Seaweed Brain," She said, "You and I both know that you won't question it the next time something like that happens."

Percy nodded, laughing, "Okay, okay. Yes."

They gave each other a quick kiss, and he could feel the grin she was trying to hold back on her face.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the serious tease there, guys. But you know the drill, check back next weekend!**

**Thanks,**  
**Leaded-Pegasus**


	4. Chapter Four: Sex

**A/N: Your eyes have already seen the chapter name. I'm sure of it, you sick freaks. No, no, I'm kidding, of course. But due to the strict rules against any really descriptive sex scenes, or as many people call them, myself included, lemons, I can't get into immense detail. And when you guys see the deal I have in store at the end of the chapter, I think it will make up for the major tease of a chapter.  
**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Sex**

_Sex (Noun)-Sexual activity, including specifically sexual intercourse._

Percy quickly swiped his hand against the inside of the windshield as he drove in an attempt to remove the built-up fog against it.

"If this was my truck," He growled, "I would jump out and let it crash into the woods."

He leaned forward, squinting through the small circle he had made that lacked the condensation from the fog. A small laugh came from the backseat, and he grinned as he looked into the mirror,

"Think that's funny?"

The child nodded to him, and Percy's faced curled up into a smile again. But it drooped down into a frown again as he made another circle in the window. As he continued driving, he sighed, before yawning. Out of his exhaustion, he scratched his face, and winced slightly when he noticed a thin layer of stubble had grown in. It had been a few days since he had looked in a full mirror, as he and Annabeth had been out on a search party for more demigods.

He gripped the steering wheel out of anxiety at the thought of Annabeth. She was still at the motel, after he had offered to go out and find some food with the little money they had left in their quest budget. They agreed on having separate rooms, as to prevent any temptation that being alone would provide. After the few hours that they spent in the woods when it was just the two of them a month or so back, they knew that they had to tread more carefully in the future. And now that Percy's room would be given to the child, the temptation would almost inevitably come back.

There was the crinkling of wrappers as the younger passenger wiggled in his seat impatiently.

"We'll be there soon, um..."

Percy faltered at the child's name, as he didn't know it yet. He was sure that the kid was still in shock from what had happened back in town. A nasty cyclops went for him while he was eating pizza with his mother, right when Percy finished up paying for his own to bring back. And when he turned around, realizing what was happening, he quickly snatched him up, tossed him onto his shoulder, and carried him and his pizza back to the truck. The cyclops chased them for a while, as Percy swerved through the little traffic in and around the small town.

He just hoped he hadn't make the huge mistake of taking a non-demigod child with him. But it wasn't very often, if at all, that a cyclops just attacked a mortal at random. Surely the child was a demigod.

He wasn't sure what the child thought of him. Surely he saw what the thing that went after him really was. Percy crossed his fingers that he wasn't afraid of him. But he seemed comfortable enough around Percy, which made him a little more hopeful. As he drove on, he spotted the weathered roadside banner for the motel, which was only two miles away.

"We're almost there," He reassured the kid, "And in the morning, I'll let you call your mom...Okay?"

Percy glanced in the rear-view mirror again, and he nodded in understanding in response to Percy. It had long since grown dark outside. Annabeth was going to kill him for being gone for so long. He sighed in relief when he finally spotted the motel's lights, before turning into its parking lot. Once he had parked the truck, and shut off the engine, he turned to look back at him,

"Hey," He said quietly, "You aren't afraid of me...Are you?"

The child shook his head in response, "You saved me from that monster. You're a good guy."

Percy smiled, "Good. Well..."

He glanced out the front window, up towards where their motel rooms are,

"I guess that's reassuring. But let's get you to bed. We'll call your mom in the morning. Does that sound good to you?"

He nodded once more.

"Okay. C'mon, I'll show you where your room is."

Percy grabbed the pizza from the seat beside him before climbing out and shutting the door behind him. He walked across the icy parking lot with the kid shuffling beside him.

"Here, take my hand," Percy said, putting out his free one, "The last thing you need is a busted up face."

He enclosed the small hand into his, as the waddled up the slippery stairs. They made it to the top eventually, where the overhang prevented any ice from accumulating on the walkway. Percy, when they got to his motel room, fished through his jacket pocket for his key.

"A-ha," He muttered, brandishing it. When he unlocked the door, he pushed it open, putting his hand out in the direction of the dark room, "It's all yours, kid."

He stepped back slightly, and the grabbed Percy's arm again,

"Woah, woah," Percy comforted, "It's alright. Look-."

He leaned into the room, flipping on the light switch. There was a short delay before they flickered on.

"Here," He offered, leading him into the room, "Let's look, and I'll show you that there aren't any creepy crawlies or monsters hiding anywhere."

The child hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed, as Percy searched in all the obvious contenders. The closet, under the bed, and every other dark corner.

Percy shook his head, "Nope, no monsters."

He looked through the room silently, then at Percy in a pleading sort of way. Percy crouched down in front of him,

"Look, do you think I would let any monsters get to you?"

After a moment, the kid shook his head no,

"I'm going to be," He turned, pointing at the wall the TV was against, "Right on the other side of that wall, with my...Friend. If you need anything at all, just come and ask. Alright?"

He nodded again, and Percy scooped up the TV remote from the bed,

"You know what I do to when I'm afraid of monsters? I fall asleep with the TV on, so if they try to get me, they hear it and think I'm still awake and they can't get me."

Percy handed the remote to the child with a reassuring grin,

"Remember," He said to him, "If you need anything, ask. And make sure you lock the door behind me."

"Okay," He responded.

Percy shut the door behind him, as he sighed. He walked a few more paces, and he stopped at Annabeth's door. As he knocked a few times, the curtain that closed of the front window of the room snapped back, revealing Annabeth, who appeared anything but happy. She came to the door, pulling it open,

Percy regarded the pizza, "What's behind curtain number one? A questionably hot pizza!"

"What's behind curtain number one?" She echoed, "A worried sick girlfriend!"

He laughed, "Sorry I was gone for so long. Something happened back in town...This cyclops tried to get this boy."

"What?" Her angered expression and tone vanished, "Is he okay?"

"He's staying in my room. I didn't catch his name, but...I'm sure it'll come up when we talk to him tomorrow. Look, if you want, I've got enough cash leftover for another room, so if you want your own room still-"

"No," She muttered, smiling faintly, "That's fine. You can stay in here."

Annabeth stepped away from the door, making room for him. He kicked off his boots, which were wet from the ice, and put them by the door. Percy shivered,

"Gods, it's cold."

"Well get warmed up while I cut up the pizza," Annabeth offered, "And the water's still hot, get a shower while you can."

"Good plan," He agreed.

Percy crouched in front of his bag, which was sitting by the door. He dug out the cleanest set of clothing he had left from the quest.

"Damn it," Percy cursed out loud.

Annabeth looked over from her nightstand, where she was attempting to cut the pizza.

"What's wrong?"

He shrugged, standing, "I didn't think I would need to bring a razor."

She paused her slicing, as she narrowed her eyes in his direction,

"Odd," She replied before grinning, "I don't think you really need one now."

Percy rolled his eyes as he walked towards the bathroom,

"It's pretty obvious," He grumbled, glancing into the mirror at the dark patch on his face, "It's bothering the hell out of me."

"If it bothers you so much, _I_ planned ahead and brought a razor."

Poking his head out of the bathroom, he glanced over at her,

"Where were you using it, exactly?"

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him again, as they both squinted at each other.

"My legs," She finally answered, "If my leg _cooties_ don't bother you."

He focused his eyes even more, until they were to the point of being slits. Then, he bit his lip in an attempt to conceal his smile,

"Okay, I'll take you up on that offer, then."

Percy stepped back into the bathroom again, shutting the door behind him. He stripped out of his clothing, feeling relieved from the dirtied articles. He fumbled around with the dials of the shower until the water was at a decent temperature. Percy climbed in, wincing slightly from the occasional, sharp jet of cold water it would shoot out at him. Once he had quickly scrubbed and rinsed himself, he shut off the shower and dried himself off.

He was just pulling on his boxers when Annabeth knocked at his door,

Percy nearly slipped as he was hiking them up, "Ah! I'm getting dressed..."

He pushed the door open, and Annabeth stood waiting with a can of shaving cream and a razor.

"Here," She said, "And if you want, I can shave your face for you."

Percy looked at her, puzzled.

"You aren't exactly the best at shaving," Annabeth replied.

"Says who?"

She pressed a hand on his shoulder, making him sit on the edge of the bathtub.

"Me," She answered, "You tend to leave spots of fuzz."

Annabeth sat across from him on the closed seat of the toilet. She ran the water from the bath for a moment, getting enough to rinse his face with. Then, she lathered his face with shaving cream, which had the overwhelming scent of flowers.

He coughed at the smell, "Gods, it's like suffocating in a bouquet."

She grinned as she pushed his chin up slightly. Annabeth quickly got to work on his face, the smooth razor gliding across his face. He looked down from looking at the ceiling, and instead looked at her. There was a concentrated look on her face as she worked, the very same face she wore when working on a difficult or taxing task,

Percy laughed, "You don't have to worry about cutting me, you know."

Annabeth ran the razor under warm water before responding in a distant voice,

"Well, I will if you keep talking."

She tipped his chin up again, forcing him to look up at the ceiling again. When she let go of him, he glanced down slyly again, as she finished up what was left on his face. Annabeth shaved a few spots here and there, before nodding,

"There," She said, "Now you don't look like a wannabe lumberjack."

He laughed slightly, leaning in as he kissed her,

"Thanks."

She scooped up his shirt from the ground, handing it to him.

"Come on," She said, motioning for the room with her head, "I'm starving."

* * *

The two of them sat on the bed together, Annabeth resting her back on the wall while Percy sat forward on his stomach. They munched on the pizza, which had long since gotten cold. But considering they were both more than hungry, they ate the whole thing nevertheless. Percy flipped through the channels as Annabeth ate the last slice,

"Nothing but infomercials," He grumbled, before turning it off completely.

Percy rolled back so he was sitting alongside Annabeth as she crumpled up a napkin.

"It is one-thirty in the morning. I guess we really shouldn't have gotten our hopes up on finding anything decent to watch."

He took the napkin from her, before tossing it into the small wastebasket in the corner of the room. It landed a few inches beside it, and he folded his arms with a frown,

Annabeth grinned at his missed shot "What do you mean? I really wanted to watch that ad for Pajama Jeans."

"And I really wanted to watch that ad for Pillow Pets..." He glanced at the alarm clock sitting on his nightstand again, "Maybe we should just go to bed. We have get driving pretty earlier to get back to camp."

She nodded, "Good idea."

Percy leaned his ear to the wall. The TV was still blaring,

"Is he still awake?"

"Doubt it," He replied, sinking his head into the pillow, "If he's as ADHD as the rest of us, he would've fallen asleep as soon as the infomercials started up. There's no way he's still awake."

Percy rubbed his eyes,

"Well...Good night, then."

He leaned up, intending to give her only a small peck. Annabeth returned the kiss, but when he tried to break away, he felt himself seemingly unable to resist carrying it out longer. And in a now-seemingly common process between them, they quickly went to high stakes on the totem pole when it came to romantic gestures. As they busied themselves with kissing, Percy turned over slightly, until he was hovering over her. As they busied themselves in kissing, their hands seemingly grew minds of their own.

Percy's lightly grasped her hips, as he crudely kissed the underside of her jaw. Annabeth's, which had been wrapped around the back of his neck, tightened slightly as she groaned quietly,

"Percy…"

In the midst of kissing her, he reached up, turning off the light sitting on the nightstand...

* * *

**A/N: I know, I know, I'm a tease, right? But before you go angrily clicking off, let me tell you what I propose. If enough people ask for the rest of the chapter, I'll post the rest of it on my Tumblr page. And let me also say, no, I'm not a greedy person. I'm not just doing this to promote my Tumblr blog, I'm doing it because I don't want to get banned from Fanfiction. All you have to do is request, in review or privately, for the omitted lemon scene. That's it. And, if there are a decent amount of requests for it, I'll put the link for it in next week's chapter.**

**Thanks,**  
**Leaded-Pegasus**


	5. Chapter Five: Warmth

**A/N: Hello, everyone, and happy Saturday! I can't believe we're already halfway into this story! Time certainly flies, especially when you've got a story to write. Unfortunately, I have some bad news-I didn't post the lemon to Tumblr. I was actually going to write and post it, despite the lack of requests, but I was extremely busy and stressed this week. I like to procrastinate, so I had to work on a four page essay through the week. So, to those of you who were looking forward to it, I'm very sorry. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it.  
**

* * *

** Chapter Five: Sleep**

_Sleep (Noun)-__A condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended._

Percy breathed in deeply, before shivering slightly. He drew the covers closer, concealing himself from the cold air that wafted through the room. As he started to fall back asleep, he felt his body lock up slightly when he felt a warm body nestle closer to his. His eyes flew open, and he nearly leapt out of bed when he saw the top of Annabeth's blonde hair just inches from his face. Her face was buried in his chest. It was then that he remembered just what they had done the night before.

He turned onto his back, slowly and with care. When he moved, Annabeth made a faint whining noise, as she latched onto Percy again in her sleep. Using his free arm that wasn't covered by her, he pulled more of the covers over Annabeth. Then, he rubbed the corners of his eyes with his thumb and index finger simultaneously, wiping the sleepy seeds out. Percy smiled faintly as he dwelled more and more on the previous hours.

He sighed. They had taken a huge step in their relationship by having sex and sleeping together intimately afterwards. And as enjoyable and romantic it was to him...Percy glanced down at Annabeth again. Then again, he thought, it might have been a huge step backwards. He almost instantly began to worry at the thought that Annabeth may have not enjoyed it, and his head had been in the clouds so much that evening that he didn't even realize it.

Percy clenched his eyes shut, rubbing them again as he exhaled anxiously. He was exhausted, and despite the fact that he knew he could fall asleep, he couldn't bring himself to. Percy was wide awake, but tired nevertheless. He glanced around their motel room, and it was then that he remembered the kid next door. They would all have to leave soon, and bring him to camp.

And from the light that was sifting through the crack between the curtains, it was obviously late morning or early afternoon. He sat up slightly, reading the alarm clock sitting on Annabeth's nightstand. Nine-thirty. When he laid back down again, he did so with a sigh. Percy looked at Annabeth again, knowing that he would have to wake her up,

"Annabeth," He whispered, his voice slightly deeper and husky from lack of use. She stirred quietly, but soon fell back asleep.

"Annabeth," He said again, a little more persistently.

Percy nudged her lightly, and finally, she woke. She sat up, blinking rapidly.

"What?" She muttered hoarsely, "What is it?"

"We have to go back."

Annabeth sighed, flopping onto her back as she stared up at the ceiling, "I don't want to. Not now, anyway."

He scratched his head lightly, "Yeah. Me neither."

They were quiet for a few minutes while Annabeth properly woke herself up. Percy turned over, facing her,

"I-Um...I need to ask you something."

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes before rolling onto her side, looking somewhat concerned,

"Sure," Annabeth nodded, "Anything you want."

His eyes diverted themselves downwards.

"Did you..." He bit his lip, "Did you...Enjoy...Last night?"

She stared at him, her eyebrows knitted together as if she was confused.

"Percy," She said, her tone gentle, "What made you think I didn't enjoy it?"

He shook his head, "Nothing did. I just..."

Annabeth reached up, running a hand through his hair.

"I don't know if you got amnesia while you were sleeping," Annabeth replied, cutting him off, "But you spent all of last night making sure I was enjoying myself."

She leaned towards him, kissing him on the forehead,

"I love you, Percy, more than I thought was possible before."

And with that reassurance, Percy returned the kiss. Slow and affectionate, now that the tension between them that had been building up had finally died down for a little while,

"Thanks," He tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear, "That had been bothering me a little."

She smirked adding with a more sarcastic note, "Percy, are you kidding? You were great!"

Percy's face grew flushed as he laughed,

"So were you."

They laughed some more, almost to the point of doubling-over. Percy sighed again, his throat slightly sore from doing so,

"We should start getting ready to leave, then."

Annabeth laid back down with a sigh, "I wish we could stay. Just for another night."

"Me, too," He said, kissing her on the cheek, "Me, too."

When all of their belongings throughout the room had been packed, they shuffled out of the room, hand in hand as they quietly walked to the child's room. Percy knocked quietly,

"Hey, kid? You there?"

There was the rapid patter of small feet as he came to the door. He opened the door, grinning in silence as a greeting. Percy cracked a grin himself,

"Look, you're still in one piece! Did my TV trick work?"

The child nodded, his head bobbing up and down.

"Well, good," Percy peered into the room as if searching for monsters again, "But I'm sure you probably didn't even need it. I bet you could've taken them all out with your bare hands, right?"

He faltered in his nodding at Percy's comment, and he shook his head promptly.

"Are you sure?"

The child nodded again.

"If you say so," Percy pretended to sound unconvinced, "So, do you want to call your mom still?"

His nodding grew more persistent.

"Go get your room key, then we can go make the call, okay?"

He scampered off, searching for the room key. Percy leaned back on the railing that went around the walkway. He noticed Annabeth staring at him.

Percy glanced over, frowning, "What is it?"

She looked into the room, at the child,

"I'm just surprised. You're really good with him."

He shrugged, "I think I just lucked out. He was just easy enough to take care of. Believe me, if he had been anymore difficult, I would've let you take care of him."

"And what makes you think I'm so good at taking care of kids?" She questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Percy responded, smirking, "I just know you wouldn't have much of a choice other than to watch him on your own if I just ran off and locked myself in your room."

"I'm glad that wasn't the case then. The fact that you just came up with that idea on a whim is a little troubling."

Finally, the smaller demigod came outside, holding his keys up to Percy. Then he regarded Annabeth,

"Oh," Percy intervened as he took the key, "This is my friend I was telling you about last night. Her name's Annabeth."

She waved to him briefly, grinning.

"But you guys will have plenty of time to talk in the car," Percy tossed his backpack onto his shoulders, "I'm sure your mom is worried sick about you by now."

Annabeth took the room keys from him, "I'll bring these back to the manager while you do that."

Percy nodded, giving her a quick peck before the kid noticed,

"Good plan."

She went the opposite way, in the direction of the motel office. Percy and the young demigod went down the stairs. He stopped them as he glanced around. Finally, he spotted a shed nearby, where a hose was attached.

"Perfect."

He glanced around to see if there was anyone outside. When the coast was clear, Percy trudged through the snow before reaching the hose. He unraveled it, before turning the spigot,

"Here's hoping this works."

After some persistence, a jet of water shot out, as Percy looked at the nozzle. He adjusted it until it was spraying from a mist setting. And when he set it facing upwards in the snow bank, a faint spectrum of color slowly came into focus from the additional sunlight.

"Alright," Percy rummaged through his pocket until he mustered up a single drachma. He motioned the child over, putting the coin into his hand, "Now watch this."

He regarded the rainbow, "Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering."

Percy looked down, "Now think of your mom's name, then throw the coin in."

The child paused for a second, then threw the coin into the mist. It vanished, and his eye grew wide from surprise. The image flickered,

"I'll be waiting by the truck. Just turn off the faucet when you're done."

He patted him on the shoulder, before slipping and sliding towards their car. Percy opened one of the back doors, tossing his backpack onto the floor. Annabeth appeared beside him, tossing hers in, as well. She leaned on the truck, glancing around for any guests at the motel. Then, she rested her head on his shoulder once he stood beside her.

"What are we going to do, Percy?"

He frowned, glancing down at her,

"What do you mean?"

Annabeth drew her coat closer to her,

"I mean, what are we going to do about nights like last night? Where we need time alone, just between each other?"

Percy sighed, thinking, "I don't know. But...They always need people going out on search parties. It would be easy enough to sign up for one of those."

"I don't want to keep running around like that. Where we have to wait for the chance, or the possibility that we'll end up alone for more than a few minutes."

"What are you implying, then?"

"Well..." She pondered her answer for a moment, "Maybe we should think about getting an apartment. Nothing major, just enough room for the two of us."

Percy smiled, but it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. He rested the side of his head on hers.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Annabeth wondered.

"I think it's a great idea. But...I barely have any money as it is."

"It's the same case with me. But as far as I can recall, we did just save the gods' asses for a second time pretty recently. I think it's safe to say that they owe us a favor."

"The last person on this earth that I'm going to ask for a loan from is Zeus. As for my dad...That's a stretch."

"And if my mother finds out we're buying it together," She mumbled quietly, as if she might be eavesdropping, "She'll strangle you. Maybe if we just avoid having them in the same room when we're working on a deal for an apartment, you and I can both survive this ordeal with out each others parents murdering us."

"I guess I know the first person I'm calling when we get back, then."

"And I guess I should start looking for a place."

Percy glanced up as the child walked up to them, still a little wide-eyed from the Iris message.

"That's pretty crazy, huh?"

He nodded in response, as Percy opened up the back door of the truck.

"Come on, kiddo. We're going on a little drive."

The demigod clambered in, shutting the door. Percy walked towards the driver's seat, but Annabeth put a hand on his arm,

"You were out driving late last night. I've got it."

"Thanks."

He rounded the front of the truck. opening the door to the passenger side. Percy buckled himself in, yawning.

"I'm going to rest up," He said, turning over in his seat, "Let me know if you want me to drive for a little while."

There was a faint jingling of keys, followed by the sound of the engine starting up. The car began to move,

"Don't worry about it. Just get some rest."

Percy didn't question this, and as they peeled down the road, back towards camp, his eyes grew heavy, and from the white noise from the tires on the smooth road, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! There's going to be another one next week, as always. But damn, I can't believe next Friday is Halloween! What are you guys going as this year? I was going to try to be a female Han Solo, but I don't have the right shoes or something similar to his vest so I'll have to go with something else.**

**Thanks for reading,**  
**Leaded-Pegasus**


	6. Chapter Six: Protection

**A/N: It's November 1st! Can you believe it, I know I sure as hell can't. After all of the Day of the Dead celebrations going on here, I know I'm going to start counting down the days towards Thanksgiving, which is my favorite holiday, second only to Christmas. Anyways, enough about my affinity for food and holidays, enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

** Chapter Six: Protection**

_Protection (Noun)-__The action of protecting someone or something, or the state of being protected._

Percy sat on the edge of the sofa, silent, as he drummed his fingers incessantly on his knee. His mother's apartment was empty, as both Sally and Paul had gone out for the day. So, he sat alone, taking in the overwhelming amount of quiet. He considered turning on the T.V., just to curb his hyperactivity slightly. But as he eyed the remote, there was a rapping on the door.

He stood stiffly, brushing off the dress shirt he was wearing. Percy walked to the door, glancing into the peephole. Drawing in a sharp breath, he opened the door. Annabeth stood, and he blinked a few times in surprise.

"Annabeth," He stuttered, "You look..."

Both of them had agreed to dress up for the occasion, and she came through immensely. She wore a plain-colored dress, a few articles of jewelry, and Percy noticed she had done something different with her hair.

Percy continued to trip over his words, and she grinned as she let herself in. She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, caressing it briefly, "Well thank you for saying so. You look nice, too."

He cut himself off finally mid-sentence in a slurry of words,

"Thanks."

Annabeth sat down in one of the arm chairs that had been placed in the living room. Percy returned to his place on the sofa.

"So," Percy managed in the midst of his anxiety, "When's Athena planning on arriving?"

"Eleven-thirty," She answered, before adding, "Sharp."

He peered into the kitchen, towards the clock hanging on the wall. If she did actually arrive at exactly eleven thirty, that meant it would be another fifteen minutes of anxious waiting.

"What about your dad?"

Percy reclined into the back of the sofa, "Eleven thirty-five. I thought it might be best to stagger the times out a little."

She nodded, letting out a shaky sigh, "Good idea."

Annabeth fell silent again, before raising a question,

"What if they don't want to go through on this? Knowing that their child is planning on moving in with their rival's child?"

Percy, after a moment shook his head, "I don't know. I guess the most we can do is try to convince them otherwise if that does happen."

She smiled faintly, "That shouldn't be too difficult."

"Yeah," He answered doubtfully with a grin, catching onto her sarcasm.

Percy ran his index finger along the fibers of the wooden coffee table in a rapid, nervous motion. Annabeth's hand reached out, grasping his as she stopped the nervous motions.

He looked up, as she held his hand,

"Sorry," Percy mumbled, "I'm just...Nervous, as I'm sure you can tell."

She squeezed her grip slightly on his hand, "Me too."

"I'll probably be vaporized on the spot when Athena gets here."

Annabeth smiled at this, "Well, you'll just have to make sure to speak up and explain before she finds any reason to."

"I think me just speaking would be a good enough reason for her to kill me."

"Don't worry," She reassured, laughing, "I won't let her."

Percy grinned, "Well, if I live through your mother's arrival, then I'll make sure that you live through Poseidon's."

"I would appreciate that."

And with that, they fell silent again, still holding each others hands. It didn't take long after that to hear a fluttering in the kitchen. Percy looked in, and when he saw nothing, he assumed it was just a bird by the window. But then his eyes drifted to the clock,

"Oh."

* * *

Eleven thirty. Sharp.

A shadow collected in the kitchen, and the owner of it was out of Percy's sight. Annabeth noticed him staring into the kitchen. When the shadow started to move in the direction of the living room, Percy broke away from Annabeth quickly, standing. Annabeth followed his lead, and also stood. Athena appeared in the doorway, as she looked around at the apartment.

Then, she glanced into the living room, and her eyes landed directly onto Percy. He blinked a few times, as she seemingly glared right through him. Finally, his brain seemingly unfroze, and he quickly bowed,

"Lady Athena," He greeted.

There was an audible, clearly disapproving sigh that emanated from Athena.

"I had a hunch that _he_ would be part of this. I suppose that I didn't want that to be the case, and therefore, I denied that possibility. But now I see that is, in fact, the case. And I'm assuming your father is involved in this, as well?"

Percy bit his lip, nodding, "Yes. He is."

Athena sighed a second time.

"Tell me, Annabeth. Did it ever cross your mind to tell me that you were buying this apartment _together_?"

He glanced over, and both Annabeth and Athena had a near-identical glint in their intense grey eyes. She shook her head eventually,

"No," Annabeth responded truthfully, "Because I knew you wouldn't even consider coming."

Athena folded her arms tightly, "And now I'm wondering why I even came to begin with, considering my suspicions. You said you were buying this apartment so you could stay in the city for your studies!"

"And I will," She replied, "But this apartment isn't going to just be for me."

"You don't think I know that by now?" Athena demanded.

"Mother, please."

"No," She snapped, "I won't listen to this...Fantasy of yours for another second. First you lied to me about your true plans, and then you intentionally left out the seemingly insignificant detail that you planned to live with this-Sea spawn!"

"Athena," Another voice entered the conversation, "Perhaps sea spawn is too harsh a term."

Percy wanted to breathe a sigh of relief when his father also appeared from the kitchen, wearing his usual shorts and Hawaiian shirt. He shot Athena a slightly venomous look before regarding Annabeth with a nod. She bowed to him,

"Lord Poseidon."

Then, he regarded him.

"Perseus," He greeted, "You seemed to have forgotten to tell me that you weren't actually just buying this apartment for yourself."

Percy bit his lip, "I'm sorry, father."

Poseidon nodded, followed by a weary sigh, "I heard enough from the conversation earlier to know that Athena doesn't approve of this. And part of me wants to agree with her."

From the corner of his eyes, he glanced down at Athena, whose arms were still folded firmly. Percy tapped his finger on the side of his leg nervously, anxious as to what his father would ultimately decide.

"However, the only reason I would agree with her about this is for the sake of your safety."

Percy and Annabeth both looked at each other, then at Poseidon, clearly puzzled.

"Our respective offspring don't tend to...Mix well," He continued, "It's a rarity on its own seeing our children, respective children, on a common ground, much less have a relationship that has gone as far as yours. One demigod can attract enough attention on their own. Two, even more so. And two demigods with such opposing lineage..."

Poseidon trailed off, before continuing again,

"I'm weary of this bond you share. It could be dangerous."

Annabeth stepped towards Percy, slipping her hand into his. Athena might as well have had knife-points shooting from her eyes at that point,

"With all due respect, Lord Poseidon, Percy and I have been to hell and back together. Among other things. And that's more than your average relationship has to go through. If we can make it through something like that, I think we can deal with anything that might be thrown at us."

Poseidon regarded her for a moment, a thin, but genuine smile spread on his face. He nodded, before regarding Athena,

"Athena?"

She regarded them slowly and coldly, specifically Percy,

"Due to the magnitude of this long-time rivalry, I don't believe I will ever bring myself to truly approve of this relationship. I'm weary of what it might bring, what might happen. But, my daughter, I believe you have spoken your mind fairly and with adequate reasoning. So, I will pay for a portion of the apartment until you can both pay for it on your own."

"And so will I," Poseidon agreed.

Percy and Annabeth both nodded in understanding.

"I shall send my half of the money shortly," Athena said.

She didn't wait for an answer, and instead, turned stiffly and walked into the kitchen. There was the same flapping he had heard from earlier, and a few seconds later, he spotted a large owl flying away from their apartment. Poseidon stood firmly, but there was an anxious expression on his face,

"I will send a pay check. I wish you two the best of luck."

He also didn't wait for any answer from them, as he nodded once to them, before slowly dissipating into the air. When they were alone again, Percy pulled Annabeth into a hug, as they clutched each other tightly,

"Oh, thank the gods."

Annabeth took the back of his neck, as they held one another. They swayed slightly as they did.

"I was so scared that they would say no," Annabeth whispered.

"Me too," Percy sighed, "But we did it. We can get an apartment."

Annabeth broke away, looking up at him, "What do you think your dad meant earlier? He stopped himself, like he had something else to say."

He paused, thinking for a moment, "I really don't know."

"I'm a little worried," She muttered, looking down.

Percy was as well, but he wouldn't admit it. It bothered him how his father, a god who had seen a lot in his thousands of years on earth, had faltered, like what he had stopped himself from saying even bothered him. Percy managed a smile, holding Annabeth's arms as he gently pulled her closer,

"C'mon," He reassured, "Like you said, we've been to hell and back together. If we can get through that, we can get through anything. Right?"

She rested her head on his chest, "Right."

Percy topped his chin on the top of her head as he stared at the wall across from him. The grin he had put on earlier faded, as he blinked a few times. What did Poseidon mean to say? What was so awful that it bothered a god?

* * *

Percy fished through his pocket until he brandished the key leading to their apartment. He unlocked the door, and it opened smoothly. As he walked inside, he took in the fresh smell. After years of living in the putrid apartment that his stepfather Gabe had, the smell had never really left his nose. He took in the smell of the new coat of paint on the walls.

His shoes clicked hollowly on the wooden floors, as he admired the apartment that they would make theirs. He wandered through the empty, desolate rooms. Their modestly-sized bedroom, bathroom, living room, and finally, he entered the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted an envelope sitting on the island in plain sight. It was addressed to him as Perseus Jackson in sharp, formal handwriting.

Percy scooped it up, knowing instantly that it was from Athena. He tore it open, revealing a check for the apartment, as well as a folded up piece of paper. Setting the check aside, he opened the other piece of paper gingerly. He read it in his head, slowly and precisely:

_Perseus,_

_As I'm sure you're aware, I strongly dislike the fact that you are in a relationship with my daughter. And I'm sure you are even more aware that I will never, under any circumstances, change my mind about that. But I also know that I will never be able to reverse this relationship. Your father began to say something earlier, but faltered when he thought that he shouldn't finish his thought. I believe that you should hear it for yourself._

_Our children don't have a very strong affiliation with one another. And, as Poseidon said, it's even more rare for them to inter-mingle to the extent that you and my daughter have. It's clear to me, much to my disdain, that the attachment you share is very strong, enough that I'm sure you will continue to the point where you're married and have children. I fear for the sake of my daughter and her well-being. I trust that you, her most trusted ally, will tell her this._

_Your relationship is dangerous, and how far you've already taken it is teetering on the edge of pure disaster. Perhaps you'll live to see the day to get married one day. But the few times in the past, when the children of rival gods have had children together, it ends in disaster. It's a recipe for tragedy. Miscarriages, still-borns, or, if the Fates are cruel enough, they allow them to live just long enough to meet a terrible end._

_I implore you, do not put my daughter through this pain. You would do well to heed my warning._

_Sincerely,_

_Athena_

The hand holding the letter fell limply to his side, trembling, as the piece of paper fell to the floor. He grabbed the edge of the counter-top, steadying himself. Percy lowered his head, resting it on the cold granite. He wanted to pass it off as a lie, a cruel, last resort mission by Athena to end their relationship. But despite how much he disliked Athena, he knew that she wouldn't, couldn't, be this cruel intentionally.

His breath hitched as this finally registered in his mind. It was a twisted, unfair truth, one that he would have to reveal to Annabeth. He couldn't keep it a secret-Athena had trusted him enough for him to tell Annabeth. Percy crouched down stiffly, picking up the letter, taking on the movement similar to that of a robot. Then, he turned one of the dials of the gas burner, and a blue flame popped to life.

He held the paper close to the flame, and it almost instantly ignited. It consumed the paper slowly, and finally, Percy dropped what was left of the paper into the fire. And when nothing was left but a small pile of charred scraps, he turned the burner off. Percy left the check behind on the table, along with the envelope, as he turned and walked out of the apartment.

Despite Athena's request, he was unsure of what to do. Would he tell Annabeth about the letter the next day? A week? A month? A year? As he walked down an empty street, he shook his head quietly.

No.

She could never know.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for today's chapter, guys. But, there's going to be another one next week of course, so until then, enjoy the weekend!**

**Thanks for reading,**  
**Leaded-Pegasus**


	7. Chapter Seven: Freedom

**A/N: Well, I had a streak of rebelliousness last night and finally watched Kill Bill against my parents words t****hat I wasn't allowed to. But I therefore got hooked, thought I could pull through and watch the sequel, but finally caved in to my exhaustion at 2:30 in the morning and crashed out. But anyhow, for those of you who might have noticed this chapter was a bit delayed today, it's because I neglected to edit this beforehand and remembered I had to while I was laying in bed half-asleep. So, sorry for that, I hope you enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Freedom**

_Freedom (Noun)-__The power of self-determination attributed to the will; the quality of being independent of fate or necessity._

Months had passed since Percy read the note addressed to him from Athena. And months had passed since he had gotten a good night's sleep. The letter was seemingly the only thing that occupied his thoughts, filling him with constant dread and worry. But bitterness and anger, directed towards him and his selfishness and the cruelty of the Fates. The two of them had moved into their apartment shortly afterwards. Annabeth suspected nothing, considering he had destroyed the note.

He did his best to act as normal as possible, to keep her from worrying about him, to keep her from discovering what he had read. Percy tried to act as thrilled as he had been before, when they first bought the apartment. But the words that had long since been burned into his head kept him from being truly happy about them living together. They lingered every waking moment, and didn't escape him until he settled in for a restless sleep. More often than not, he found himself getting out of bed after tossing and turning all night as he tried to drown out his thoughts with infomercials.

Then Annabeth would find him, laying on the sofa after he finally had given into the exhaustion. And he always used the same excuse: He had a nightmare, couldn't sleep. She would sit down beside him, running a hand through his disheveled hair, and he held back the urge to pull away. Percy knew that he didn't deserve her comfort, not after he had kept such a large secret from her. And he grew more and more disgusted with himself every day, every opportunity he got that he neglected to tell her about the note.

He tried to distance himself from Annabeth as often as possible. Percy occupied himself with his part-time job, as he tried to find every excuse to stay there longer. But his boss would send him home anyway, saying that as much as he appreciated his hard work, Percy had a girlfriend that he needed to spend time with. Then Percy would wander back home, as he waited for Annabeth to come home from her own job. The nights that he especially dreaded speaking to her, he would climb out onto the fire escape, huddling himself out of sight, even when he heard Annabeth calling his name from inside.

It was one of those nights.

He drew his sweatshirt closer to him as a cold, early spring air blew through him. As astounding as the view of the city was from where he was sitting, the same thought still filled his mind. Despite the fact that he burned the note, it was almost as though it was still folded up somewhere, just in arm's length where he could read it over and over again. Percy never stopped thinking about it, and it was making him sick. He poked his head through the window, into the darkened apartment.

Annabeth was nowhere to be seen, and he hadn't heard her come in before. So, he climbed through the window, shutting it behind him. He winced when he heard the front door open. He tensed as he locked the window.

"Gods, Percy," She greeted breathlessly, "I thought you were a burglar for a second there."

Percy said nothing as he pulled his hood down. There was the rustling of paper bags, before he heard Annabeth's footsteps coming towards her. He turned around, routinely giving her a peck on the cheek.

"I got some Chinese food on the way home," She announced, "I don't even need to call in our order anymore, you know. We eat there so often, they always have our food cooked up before I even get there."

Percy forced a smile as she rummaged through the bags. Annabeth pulled out four generic white takeout boxes, handing two to him,

"Your usual, chicken and broccoli with white rice."

"Thanks."

He would've wolfed it down usually, but his stomach felt as though it was in knots.

"We haven't eaten together in a while," Annabeth said as she got her own food, "Maybe we can tonight? I don't have any extra work, and it is Friday, after all."

It was true. Percy had been so busy occupying himself with anything but her that them spending time together was almost a rarity at that point. But now, there was no way of avoiding it. He bit back a sigh, as he nodded,

"Sure."

Percy seated himself at the edge of the sofa, and he winced slightly as Annabeth moved close to him. He picked at his food, taking a bite of it here and there. Annabeth had long since been done with her food as he set his down on the table. She looked at him with a puzzled expression,

"I ate a late lunch," He lied.

Annabeth nodded meekly, clearly unconvinced. He focused his eyes on the television, but wasn't paying attention in the least bit. Percy only snapped out of it when the T.V. shut of suddenly. He glanced over at Annabeth just as she was setting the remote aside.

"I-" Percy faltered, "I was watching that."

"_No_, you weren't. I've been trying to talk to you this whole time and you didn't even hear me."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm just-"

"Tired?" Annabeth filled in, somewhat angrily, "You've been tired for weeks. Percy, I can tell there's something wrong."

Percy gripped his knees looking away.

She gently cupped his chin, before adding in a more calm voice, "Percy, you know you can tell me anything...Don't you?"

He stood, breaking away.

"Stop," Percy snapped, "Just...Stop."

Annabeth blinked a few times, "What's the matter with you, then? You've been so distant, ever since we moved it. I swear, it's like you're not even here sometimes! What? Do you not want to live with me anymore?"

"No," Percy quickly shook his head, "That's not it."

"What is it, then?" She pleaded, "Percy, _please_ tell me what's going on."

Another sigh escaped from him, shakily.

"I can't," He muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I can't tell you."

"Why?" She demanded, "Why do you need to keep a secret from me, of all people, when it's obviously bothering you so much?"

"Because I don't want it to worry you!"

Annabeth blinked as she shook her head rapidly, "I'd rather have something worry me at least partially if it meant taking some of the weight off of you! Damn it, Percy..."

She sighed, glaring at the fibers of the wood table.

"Gods, what you're doing-" Annabeth nearly whispered, "It's not healthy. It's stupid. You're going to make yourself sick."

Percy hastily ran a hand through his hair, "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," She protested quietly, "Ever since we moved in, you've been acting so different. Towards me, towards everybody. I don't...I don't understand why you act like you need to do everything on the own. Like you need to save the world by yourself."

In the midst of his uneven, tense breathing, he wheezed slightly, as if all of the air had been vacuumed from the room. His vision fogged slightly, as he staggered forward. Gripping the back of a nearby arm chair, he tried to rub the blurriness from his eyes. But in a tidal wave of sudden weakness in his body, his knees buckled, as he stumbled to the floor.

Annabeth rushed wordlessly towards him.

"Damn it," She struggled to pull him to his feet.

Taking one of his arms, she draped it over her shoulder. He clasped onto it, as she led them towards her room. She perched him on the edge of the bed,

"Come on, you need to get some sleep."

He settled down, resting his head on the pillows laying on his side.

"I can't," Percy muttered, "I can't sleep anymore, Annabeth."

Annabeth draped a blanket over him, "Well you sure as hell have got to try, Percy. You're exhausted. Now rest up. And you're going to tell me what's bothering you when you get up."

He nodded once, tucking a pillow between his neck. Annabeth leaned down, kissing him on the top of his head as she turned of his bedside lamp,

"Sleep tight, Seaweed Brain."

* * *

The next time Percy was awake, he didn't know how long he had been asleep. But his eyes slowly fluttered open, and he cringed slightly at the strong sunlight filtering into the room. It was overwhelmingly warm, and he squirmed out of the hot confines of his sweatshirt. He breathed a sigh of partial relief, grimacing at the built-up sweat on his body. Percy supposed that was why they called it a sweatshirt, after all.

He glanced over at the alarm clock sitting on his drawer against the wall. It was five-thirty. Percy glanced at the window again, then by his side. And from the amount of sunlight, along with Annabeth's absence, he knew it wasn't morning. It was then that he remembered his agreement with Annabeth before he had given into his exhaustion.

Percy sighed, leaning down as he rubbed his eyes,

"Annabeth?" He called.

When he received no answer, he frowned slightly, rising from the bed as he wandered out towards the kitchen. A note waited for him. He scooped it up, as he read Annabeth's handwriting,

_Got called into the office today. I probably won't be home until late tonight, but your leftovers from last night are in the fridge still._

_Love you,  
Annabeth_

The note fluttered back onto the counter. Well, he had only been out for a day or so. But, taking into account how groggy and confused he felt, it might as well have been a month. Percy brought his hands up to his face, rubbing the lingering sleep out of it. He glanced around the empty apartment, as he began to wonder how the hell he was going to break such devastating news to Annabeth.

The possibility of feigning exhaustion again seemed tempting, but he quickly pushed it away. He knew it couldn't wait any longer. He knew as soon as Annabeth got home from work, his explanation would be the first thing she would want to hear. Percy was fearful as to how she would react. Especially after she realized how long he himself had been aware of it.

He swallowed the knot in his throat as he leaned his weight onto the kitchen island. Percy gripped the edge of the cold granite, rocking himself back and forth on his heels as he waited for Annabeth to come through the door. He stood there for what seemed an eternity, forming what he was going to say on his lips as he did. Finally, he heard the lock of their door turning, followed by a quiet squeak. Annabeth's light footsteps treaded inside, stopping near the kitchen,

"I'm glad to see you're finally awake."

He turned to face her, as she hung her coat up against the front door. She shivered slightly, adjusting the thermostat,

"Gods, I should've turned this on before I left. It's freezing."

Annabeth fiddled around with the buttons, and he glanced away when he picked up on what she was doing: Stalling the inevitable conversation that they were going to have. He wandered towards the living room, sitting on the sofa with his back facing her. By the door, she sighed audibly, walking over finally,

"Well, I guess we should get this over with."

She sat on the other end of the sofa, facing him. Annabeth rubbed her hands across her knees. He chewed on his lip nervously,

"I..." Percy faltered, forming the words, "Last month, when we met with Athena and Poseidon, she left a note with the check for the apartment."

Annabeth focused on him, listening intently.

"She-she was saying how her own children and Poseidon's weren't compatible. But she said she knew how strong our feelings were for each other, and how we would probably get married, have kids."

She glanced away somewhat, as her cheeks grew visibly flushed. Percy looked away, too, his face additionally getting warm.

"Is that it?" She questioned, "I mean, the whole marriage thing? That's what's been bothering you this whole time?"

He grinned, laughing somewhat sadly, "Gods, I wish it was."

Annabeth inched towards him, taking his hands in hers,

"Percy, I want you-I need you, to tell me what it is. Once you get it out and say it, you'll feel better."

Percy's body shuddered as he let go of another sigh. He leaned his head forward, resting it on top of hers.

"We can't-" He faltered again.

Annabeth held his hands tighter, holding them close to her.

"It's okay," She whispered in reassurance, "It's okay."

Percy clamped his eyes shut, forcing back the urge to sob.

"We can't have kids, Annabeth. I can't-Can't put you through that,"

But a sob overwhelmed him, shaking them both abruptly as he did. She gripped his hands even tighter, listening.

"Athena," He muttered, "She told me everything. Miscarriages, still-borns, and sometimes they live just a few years, only to die."

Percy sobbed again, clenching his eyes tighter. As he did, Annabeth wrapped her arms around him, clutching him tightly.

"I can't do that to you!" He cried, his voice drowned out as he cried into her shoulder. She held him in silence, swaying him gently as she did. And when he finally grew quiet again, only sniffling occasionally, she broke away, holding onto his arms.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "Look at me."

Her voice was steely calm, but intense. Percy glanced at her hesitantly. She blinked a few times, steadying herself,

"This will never, ever, change the way I look at you. It will never change the way I feel about you. Never, ever, think for one second that it does. I love you more than anyone or anything. And I'm not going to let some stupid fate ruin that, not anymore."

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, yeah. Sorry for such a cliff-hanger. I won't carry on with excuses, let's just say I've been drowning in school work. But, I've got some good news! On top of the story I'll be posting after this one, I've got another idea I'm working on a rough draft for. Normally with new story ideas I can start banging out a ton of chapters, so if I plan it out enough in time, you guys could expect this story around Christmas or New Year's. But keep an eye out!  
**

**Thanks for reading,  
Leaded-Pegasus**


	8. Chapter Eight: Love

**A/N: Luckily, I made the wise decision of editing this beforehand, unlike last week, where I stayed up until 2:30, woke up around eleven and remembered I had to edit, and then did a shoddy job at**** it. Anyhow, enough rambling, I hope you guys like the chapter!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Love**

_Love (Noun)-A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person._

Percy dribbled an inflatable beach ball between his feet as he walked down the hallway, carrying a cooler under his arm. Annabeth followed behind him, carrying another backpack. She matched his pace, fighting for the ball as she tried kicking it from her reach,

"Hey!" He protested, laughing.

She grinned, "As far as I'm concerned, I'm keeping you from breaking your neck."

"No," Percy said, forcing the ball back into his reach, "As far as I'm concerned, you're just trying to take it from me!"

He kicked it down the hallway, sending it flying towards the elevator. They sprinted towards it, both breaking before they collided into the doors. In a whirlwind of legs, they tried fighting back for it. Finally, Percy set his foot on top of it, clamping it down as he breathlessly raised a hand,

"Hold up," He managed.

Annabeth tried kicking it out from his foothold, "What? Too tired to play anymore?"

"Nope," Percy shook his head, pressing the elevator button before resuming their game. They continued to dribble it back and forth,

"If we keep this up," He panted, "We won't have any energy."

"There's not a snowball's chance in hell that's going to happen. Now come on, Seaweed Brain, don't you have any competition in you?"

He smirked, "Don't worry, I'm just biding my time. Once we get to Montauk, I'm going to kick your ass at this."

"If you say so."

The elevator bell dinged, as the doors opened to reveal it was empty. They picked up their things and piled in. Annabeth punched in the button that would bring them to the garage underneath the apartment, before leaning back against the wall of the elevator. The two of them panted wordlessly. It was a short ride down to the sub-level, and they wandered to their car when they arrived.

Percy piled up their belongings into the backseat, ignoring the staggering mugginess inside the garage. Annabeth crawled into the passenger seat, starting up the car,

"Gods, it's hot out," She remarked.

He swiped his forehead, "Perfect day for the beach."

Percy shut the door, before buckling into the driver's seat. Annabeth fiddled with the dials for the air conditioning as he drove out of the parking lot. They drove through the city at a pain-staking pace, what with all of the traffic, but eventually made it out of the city nevertheless.

"It'll be nice to get away from everything, even if it's just for the weekend," She remarked, draping a hand on his knee as he drove.

Percy grinned at this, "You and I both know that cabin is probably one of the least romantic places in the world."

"Please," Annabeth practically snorted, "That hasn't made a difference yet, and I don't see it changing anytime soon."

"Gods, did we even change the sheets before we left last time?"

She shook her head with a smile,

"You have no shame whatsoever."

He shrugged, "Just wondering."

Annabeth reclined in her seat, moving her hand that had been placed on his knee into his hand. He held onto it, lowering it from the driving wheel to his side. Percy brushed his thumb across the top of their hands as he steered with his free one. They drove in silence for a while, enjoying the view as the city scenery slowly turned rural. The two of them both lurched forward in their seats when the car hit a harsh bump,

"What the-"

Despite the fact that Percy hadn't let up on his speed, the car slowed nevertheless. His frown deepened, and he sighed in exasperation when it stopped completely. He didn't hesitate when he unbuckled himself, shut off the car, and stepped out into the summer heat. Percy checked each tire, and grumbled a string of obscenities when he came across the culprit. The rear right-hand tire was drooping sadly, seemingly melting into the road.

Annabeth opened her car door, looking back at him,

"Everything alright?"

He propped his arm against the side of the car, propping himself up as he stared at the tire. After a moment, he shook his head,

"No. We've got a flat tire."

Annabeth pursed her lips, "And I don't suppose you have any spares?"

Percy shook his head a second time, glancing up at the sun.

"Well...I'd suggest pushing it the rest of the way, but it's a million degrees out here. But I'm sure someone will drive past here at some point. So, we'll just have to wait until that happens."

Annabeth shrugged, "Fine by me."

He turned around, resting his back on the car,

"The feeling isn't mutual on that."

She walked over to him, "C'mon, don't beat yourself up about this. It's a beautiful day, we can at least have a picnic."

Percy, after a moment, nodded with a grin,

"Alright."

* * *

As Annabeth made a makeshift sitting area for them in the back of the car, Percy rummaged through their cooler. He forced himself to rule out the hamburger patties, considering they were raw, and they didn't have anything to cook them with. That left them with a bag of chips, a pack of soda, some apples, peanut butter, and hamburger buns. He sighed once more under his breath at their selection.

It wasn't supposed to be like this

, he though to himself.

They were supposed to be sitting on the beach together, not stranded on the side of the road. And now, that was out of the question. He dipped his hand into his pocket, impulsively checking for the small box sitting in his pocket. Percy felt the weight on his chest ease up a bit, only to return when he took his hand away from it, as if it would disappear before he checked for it again. He had had everything planned, making it as perfect as he could in his mind.

He peered into the cooler again, staring at the bottle of champagne nestled into the ice somewhat longingly. How was he supposed to replicate something as significant as what he had planned at the beach? Percy slammed the ice box, carrying the food over to Annabeth. She took it from his arms, setting it down in the back before regarding the layout she had made,

"What do you think?"

In the flat, open trunk of the car, she had laid out some blankets, along with the two pillows they had brought to sleep with at the cabin. A grin automatically appeared on his face,

"Wow," He remarked, "It's...Nice."

She stood back, admiring her own handiwork, "I think it looks nice to, if I do say so myself."

Percy glanced around one final time, checking for any cars driving in their directions. But none came, so he hesitantly accepted the fact that they would be there for a while. He sat perched on the edge of the trunk, its door opened at an angle that provided shade for them. Annabeth lounged alongside him, resting inside the trunk. They put peanut butter on the hamburger buns and apples.

Percy, being daring, put a dab of peanut butter on a sour cream and onion-flavored chip. Annabeth cringed, looking away as he hastily chewed on it. He consumed the rest of it, before making a noise of approval,

"It's actually not that bad," Percy remarked, making another.

"Sure," She added doubtfully, opening her eyes, "The only person I could think of who could come up with something like besides you is a pregnant woman."

"A pregnant woman?"

"Yeah," Annabeth said, biting into an apple, "Someone like that."

He leaned against the wall of the car, glancing outside. After a moment, he sighed,

"Of all days, it had to be today that we get a flat tire."

Annabeth nudged her foot against the side of his thigh, "What? You can't tell me this isn't fun."

He looked over, a reassuring smile on his face, "Don't get me wrong, I'd go anywhere if it meant getting out of the apartment for a few days. It's just..."

Percy faltered, shaking his head,

"Never mind. Don't listen to me."

He crawled towards Annabeth before sitting beside her.

"Let's just enjoy the rest of the day," Percy said in between kisses.

* * *

They spent the rest of the day sitting in the opened trunk, relaxing and sleeping on and off. And then, as the sun went down and the temperature was more bearable, Percy glanced outside,

"You know what we should do?"

He looked back at Annabeth, "The sun should be gone soon. And since there's nothing around, I bet the stars are beautiful around here."

"As cheesy as this sounds, we should sit on the roof."

Percy shrugged, crawling out as he stretched his legs.

"It does," He grinned, scooping up a blanket and his pillow, "But it's a cheesy good idea."

Percy rounded the car, carefully climbing up from the hood. He laid his blanket out on the open space. Annabeth climbed up, taking the supportive hand Percy put out. They sat closely together, facing away from the road as they stared at the massive field that stretched out alongside it. The sun was just a mere sliver on the horizon.

"Gods, I love it out here."

Percy looked up at the faint twinkles that were beginning to appear in the sky, "Yeah, me too."

The two of them sat quietly together, watching the sun vanish completely as it turned to nightfall. Percy looked down at his lap, thinking about the box sitting in his pocket. He contemplated on whether or not it was a good timing. Troubled with the decision, he looked up again, focusing on the scenery. Annabeth was looking at him intently.

"What is it?"

She glanced at him for a moment longer, before staring up at the sky, "What are you thinking about?"

Percy was taken aback somewhat, as it had been seemingly out of the blue for her to ask that. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, faltering,

"A lot of things," He finally answered, "When you're out here, away from everything else, you can do that. You can think about almost anything, all at once, and clearly. I'm thinking about how much my life has changed over the past few years. I'm thinking about how much my life has changed because of you, how much it's changed for the better."

Percy looked over at Annabeth, taking her hands in his. He thought about the box again.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," He said, "I should be telling you this on a beach right now, at a nice restaurant, anywhere but on the side of the road."

Annabeth blinked a few times, "...Percy?"

He let go of one of her hands, using his free one to take the small box from his pocket again. It was too dark for Annabeth to see him do this, and he continued speaking,

"I owe you something more special than this, I know it. But I just can't wait any longer. Annabeth...I love you more than anyone I've ever known. I know for a fact that you've saved it at least a million times over. And, I also know that I'll never be able to repay you for that. But the least I can do is give the rest of my life to at least try."

Finally, he brandished the box, opening the top of it. A plain, silver band sat in the sliver inside the velvet box made for the ring. It was a simple ring, no jewels, no diamonds, nothing. He laughed somewhat sheepishly at it,

"I know it's not much. But I-uh...Made it myself, with some help from the Hephaestus cabin, of course. It's nothing fancy, but-"

Percy was cut off as Annabeth engulfed him into a near-suffocating embrace. He froze slightly, but promptly wrapped his arms around her.

"So...I'll take that as a yes?"

He heard a muffled laugh come from Annabeth.

Percy let out a breath of relief, smiling as he did, "Like I was saying, I know it's nothing romantic."

She broke away, shaking her head with a grin, "No. But I can't imagine it being any better than you've already made it. I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Annabeth took the box from him with care. She removed the ring, sliding it on the correct finger. As she moved her hand into the light, examining it, she nodded,

"It's gorgeous. And, no diamonds or anything. So I don't have to worry about roughing it up."

She leaned forward, kissing him fully on the lips. He returned the affections, but yet again asked,

"So, is that a yes?"

Annabeth laughed, breathing air onto his lips,

"Of course, Seaweed Brain. Of course."

* * *

**A/N: I'm a little sad that there's only two chapters left to post for this story. I've had a fun time writing it. Still, I'm looking forward to starting my next stories, one of which I'm going to try and make particularly lengthier.**

**Thanks for reading!  
Leaded-Pegasus**


	9. Chapter Nine: Family

**A/N: Happy Saturday! I just wanted to let you guys know ahead of time that my computer isn't running again, and that means, I can't get to my story files I have saved on it. Additionally, I haven't finished next week's tenth and final chapter. So, if I can't get my laptop running by the end of this weekend, expect a delay on next week's chapter. If I can't get it posted on time, I'd like to apologize beforehand. I've got my fingers crossed that I can get it running at least once, just to get all of my files onto a flash drive. But, we'll get to that road when we come to it.  
**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Family**

_Family (Noun)-A person or people related to one and so to be treated with a special loyalty or intimacy._

Percy brought a small, paper cup filled with water up to his lips, downing the rest of the liquid. He crushed the cup in his hands, leaning into a rickety plastic chair. A chill crept down his spine as he was reminded of the freezing temperature of the hospital. Knitting his fingers together, he looked around the quiet hall, searching for something, anything to keep his mind occupied. Much to his dismay, there wasn't much to be found in the sterile, bland, hallway.

He drew in a sigh, as he stared at his tapping feet. Percy would glance at his watch, 1:47, rub his eyes tiredly, tap, tap, tap, look at the closed door beside him. Repeat. Finally, he forced himself from his hyperactive ritual, but still glanced at the door one last time. He gripped the cup in his hands.

Percy knew the nervous tic would return eventually, but he kept it at bay, in order to think a little more clearly. So that he could come to terms about what was going on. He had to eliminate any hopes, any chances that lingered. Their too-early of a visit to the hospital would end the same way as it had the past two times. Percy knew he would have to come to terms with that.

He tightened his fists, clutching the destroyed cup even more as he lurched forward. Percy's eyes burned with welling tears, his body rigid. He regarded the nurse sitting at the desk across from him, as she quickly averted her eyes. Wiping his eyes, he drew in a shaky breath, standing. He walked over to the water cooler, disposing his old cup and replacing it as he poured another cup.

As the cool liquid trickled steadily, he heard the door behind him. His heart plummeted, but he maintained composure as he shut off the water. He fully straightened from his hunched over position, before turning slowly on his heels. A middle-aged doctor was standing nearby, holding a clipboard under his arm. Percy blinked a few times, waiting for an answer,

"Mr. Jackson," He greeted tightly, swallowing, "I'm sorry, but-"

Percy winced at the doctor's words as if he had been struck with them. He barely managed to hold onto his cup.

"Can I see her?" He questioned.

The doctor blinked a few times behind his glasses, clearly struggling for an answer,

"Mr. Jackson, your wife is exhausted from the procedure, I'm sure..."

He began to trail off as the look on Percy's face grew more and more intense. And with that, he stepped to the side with pursed lips, regarding the door with his hand for him. Percy walked past, and while it felt as though he was walking in slow motion, he had arrived at the door within a few steps. He put his hand on the ice-cold handle, turning it as the door pushed open. Slowly, Percy walked inside, a curtain obscuring his view.

Percy ghosted a hand across it, pushing it aside. He blinked quickly again, fending off more tears at the sight of Annabeth. She was laying in a hospital bed, lightly draped with a blanket. Her eyes were closed, and she made no hints that she was aware of his presence. He spotted a chair beside the bed, and quickly occupied it.

Setting the cup down, he clasped a hand around hers. This caused her to stir slightly, as her eyes fluttered open. At first, her expression was a relieved one, but it soon was filled with remorse, as she leaned forward and buried her face into her hands. As her body slowly racked itself with sobs, he instantly pulled her towards him.

She grabbed the front of his jacket, burying her face into his chest as she cried. Muffled screams of distress and agony emanated from her, as Annabeth trembled. Her hands dug into his shirt front, but the pain was numbed by his own despair,

"I lost it," She wailed, "I lost the baby!"

There was a pause in her sobs as her words set in, before she resumed again. His lower lip quivered, as he fixed his gaze on the wall behind her. But his eyesight grew blurry, as he finally gave in.

"It's not-" He choked back a sob, "It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is," Annabeth insisted, "It was my fault this happened."

Percy clenched his eyes shut, "Don't say that."

She broke away sharply, turning away from him. Annabeth rose from her bed, sniffling quietly. Percy stood from his chair,

"I need to get dressed," She said.

He nodded wordlessly, leaving the bed area as he shut the curtain behind him. Percy cupped his face in his hands, sighing. It only took a few minutes for Annabeth to change from her hospital gown into her own clothes. She appeared alongside him, slowly pulling her hair up into a hasty ponytail.

"I've just got to check out," He told her, handing her the keys to the car. She took them from his hands, leaving the room. Percy released a sigh before walking up to the counter the nurse was sitting at. He silently wrote his signature on various papers, filled out various information. After he had signed one final paper, she nodded, and handed him a slip.

Percy found their car in the parking lot. He opened the driver seat door, and glanced at Annabeth once from the corner of his eye. Shutting the door, he turned the car on,

"Do you...Need anything on the way back to the apartment?"

He buckled himself him as he craned his neck to back the car up.

"I don't want to go back to the apartment."

Percy blinked a few times, braking midway through backing out of the parking spot. He gripped the steering wheel,

"Well, where _do_ you want to go?"

She leaned back, resting her head against the window, "Camp. I think...That might be best for me, for the both of us, to recuperate."

Percy paused at this briefly, before nodding a few peeled away from the remaining space of the parking spot, before driving towards the exit of the hospital parking lot. The streets were practically deserted, with only the occasional car that drove past. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he waited for the stoplight to turn green. Percy was exhausted, not just from the fact that it was only two in the morning, but from grief.

As much as he would've liked to return to the house, sleep in his own bed, that would only be under normal circumstances. And he was well aware that what had happened earlier...That was on the opposite end on the spectrum for normal circumstances. He wasn't ready to go back home, not yet. Annabeth was right, they needed time to heal.

She especially needed time to heal.

Percy glanced over at her briefly before the light transitioned to green again. Her face was dimly illuminated by the amber yellow streetlights, fresh teardrops glistening on her face. He turned his head back towards the road again, turning down the street. The ride was quiet, painfully so. And as much as Percy felt the need to make Annabeth laugh, or at the very least, smile, he knew it was impossible. This was one situation that even humor wouldn't alleviate.

He stretched his hand out, reaching towards Annabeth. Percy's breath hitched in his throat when he felt her hand nestle inside his. He enclosed his hand fully around hers, their fingers intertwining. He squeezed her hand lightly in reassurance. Within a few moments, she reciprocated it, squeezing his hand briefly in response.

Percy glanced over again briefly. Annabeth was still clutching onto his hand, as she laid against the passenger seat. Her face was still contorted slightly, frozen in a painful wince. But as he continued to drive, constantly looking over to check on her, the expression started to fade. It loosened up, as she slowly grew lest restless, and fell asleep.

Percy adjusted the headlight beams for the car to their highest setting. There was no one else on the road, and it was overwhelmingly dark, especially with a lack of streetlights. He drove on in silence, not wanting to disturb Annabeth's sleep. Percy tried to avoid thinking about the events from earlier that evening for as long as possible. But finally, it wore him out, and it all started to come back.

It had been so reminiscent of the other times they had found themselves in the hospital, in the same exact scenario. But only ten times worse, only ten times more painful. Because they both knew that they would get the same exact news as the other two times. It was inevitable, no child could survive a birth so early.

Percy curled his lower lip under his teeth, biting it. His eyes grew foggy again. He took in a breath. He knew he couldn't lose it here, not now. Percy fixated his eyes on the road, glaring at it in sheer concentration until he spotted the distinct pine tree that indicated the borders of camp.

* * *

After rousing Annabeth from her sleep, they locked up the car, which was parked on the side of the road. The two of them hiked up the hill, where a single torch flickered. A voice stopped them in their tracks,

"Stop!" It ordered, "Who's there?"

Percy answered back, "Percy and Annabeth Jackson. Sorry that we're unexpected guests, this was a last-minute decision to drive here."

The voice promptly answered, "Percy? Annabeth?"

Someone fell down from the pine tree, landing firmly on their feet. The silhouette scooped up the torch that was planted on the ground, before bringing it to their face. Percy instantly recognized the war helmet that had the likeness of a boar,

"Clarisse?"

She slugged his arm, pulling off her helmet, "What? You didn't forget my voice, now, did you?"

He managed a weak smile, "Honestly, I thought you were a guy."

Clarisse let out a disdainful grunt, "If I wasn't exhausted from being out here all night, I think it would be in order to have a spar."

"Maybe some other time," Percy replied.

She snorted with laughter, "Has living in the mortal world made you soft or something?"

"It's late," He answered, "Like you said, you're tired. We wouldn't want you to have even more of a disadvantage, right?"

She chuckled once, "Alright then, Jackson. But first thing tomorrow: You, me, and the arena."

Percy nodded meekly, "I'll see you then."

As they were passing by, Clarisse finally seemed to acknowledge Annabeth's silence. She frowned slightly, a twinge of worry filling her expression. Then, her eyes drifted towards Annabeth's midsection, where she had her arms wrapped almost protectively. As it finally dawned on Clarisse what had happened, Percy had already broken his gaze away. He led Annabeth towards the Big House.

As they climbed up the porch steps, Percy noticed a dim light was on inside. He knocked quietly, and a stout silhouette collected in front of the door, before it opened. Chiron rubbed his eyes, glancing up at them from his wheelchair,

"Percy, Annabeth," He greeted, "What a surprise."

"Sorry for waking you..." Percy apologized as Annabeth squeezed through the doorway, heading straight for one of the guest bedrooms the Big House held. His frown deepened, and Chiron's small grin vanished,

"Is something wrong?" He questioned.

Percy nodded, "It might be better to talk about this somewhere else."

Chiron nodded gravely, "Let's take a walk, then."

* * *

Once Chiron had gotten himself out of his wheelchair, they wandered about the grounds of camp. Chiron didn't say much at first, but once they were out of audible range from the Big House, Chiron ceased with the small talk.

"So," He said, "What was so serious that it required you to come here?"

Percy tucked his hands into the pocket of his sweatshirt, "We had to go to the hospital. Annabeth, well...She...Miscarried."

Chiron winced, "I'm truly sorry, Perseus."

"It's happened twice already," Percy responded bitterly, "At this point it's the only thing I can expect."

Chiron trotted on in silence alongside Percy.

"I just don't know what to do," Percy continued, "We both want children so badly. Gods, adoptions are so expensive. But at this point...It seems like the only thing we could ever hope for is a miracle."

Chiron slowed in his pace, before stopping completely. Percy stopped alongside him. Chiron placed a hand on his shoulder,

"For now," He suggested, "Perhaps the both of you should stay at camp. You need time to heal-"

Percy tore away from Chiron's grip, "What's healing going to do to help us? Athena herself said we would never be able to have children. It's impossible."

"Because both of you are living in fear, Perseus," Chiron continued, "Perhaps you tried to push the fear of losing your child aside when you first became aware of the risk. But it still lingers in your subconscious. It won't take a miracle to give you and Annabeth a child, it will take trust and belief in one another. It will take steely fearlessness to overcome the worry of another miscarriage."

"I'm not going to say this will be easy. It will be harder and more strenuous than anything you have ever faced. But with Annabeth at your side, I am certain that together, you will be able to accomplish your goal."

Percy glanced up at Chiron, "You think so?"

"I'm certain," He answered genuinely, "Now, I'm sure that you're exhausted from driving all of the way here, so it might be wise for you to get some rest."

Percy nodded, "Yeah. That might be a good idea...Goodnight, Chiron. And thank you."

The centaur nodded once, before Percy wandered over to the Big House, and up to the room he had seen Annabeth go into. He opened the door quietly, peeking inside. Inside, a lamp placed on a bedside table was on. Percy walked inside, and saw Annabeth facing the light, wide awake. He sat down on the edge of the bed by her feet.

"I, um, I talked to Chiron. He agrees we should stay for a while."

"It took that long of a walk for him to tell you just that?" She questioned.

"Well, we discussed other things, too," He glanced at Annabeth, "Things that might be able to help us finally have a child."

Annabeth blinked a few times, poised towards him as she listened. He repeated the words of advice that Chiron had given, and when he was finished, Annabeth drew in a breath, her chest retracting sharply.

"Do you think that would work?" She whispered.

He looked at his hands, which were clasped into his lap, "Like he said, it won't be easy..."

Then, he broke his hands away, taking one of Annabeth's in his own,

"But we have to at least give it a chance."

Annabeth grasped his hand tighter, "If you're ready to give it a chance, then I sure as hell am ready to, as well."

They leaned in, exchanging in a small kiss, but one that they both desperately needed from one another. Percy felt a small piece of the heavy sadness in his chest chip away slightly, as he clamped his eyes shut. It would take a long time for it to go away, but he was sure as hell ready to get started.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if the chapter seemed kind of brief. I had a hard time writing this one. In fact, I started writing this late August, and didn't finish it until a few weeks ago. Some chapters are like that for me, I just can't find the right words. But, once I can get to work on the next chapter, I'll try and make it a little better.**

**Thanks for reading, and hopefully, I'll be here next week on normal time with the last chapter!**  
**Leaded-Pegasus**


	10. Chapter Ten: Happiness

**Chapter Ten: Happiness**

_Happiness (Noun)-A state of contentment and well being._

The clock on the wall ticked quietly, counting the seconds with a constant and precise click. But the rest of the room, as well as the three people occupying it, were quiet, dozing from an exhausting night. One awoke with a start, sitting up in the chair he had been reclined in with a yawn. Percy sighed, rubbing his eyes as he looked over towards the hospital bed a few feet across from him. Annabeth laid in it, fast asleep.

He noticed the small bundle in her arms, and he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. Percy moved his chair closer to the bedside, carefully taking the small thing that had been beginning to stir in Annabeth's arms. It let out a small cry of protest, but eventually quieted down as Percy set the small bundle down into his inter-locked arms. He couldn't hold back the gigantic smile that appeared on his face as he looked at the small, newborn child he was holding in his arms. It was almost hard to believe after all of those years of trying for a child, only to a fail, that they had finally gotten their wish.

Percy crossed his legs, propping his arms up as he gently brought the newborn baby closer to him. He gazed at it intently, as a plethora of emotions ran through his mind. Relief, disbelief, and an overwhelming amount of happiness that he once thought before was humanly impossible coursed through him. Relief, because at last they had finally managed to get the child they had been wanting so desperately for years. Disbelief because of that very reason. And the reasoning behind his ecstatic mood was more than obvious to him.

The baby wrapped in his arms stirred again in its blanket, its faint plume of black hair that topped its head protruding slightly. It let out a small cry, and Percy quietly shushed it as he held it closer. Annabeth's eyes fluttered open, looking in the direction the baby's cry had emanated from. She yawned briefly, smiling weakly at it. He held it towards her, but she shook her head.

"That's alright," She muttered, rubbing the baby's small patch of hair on its' head, "You hold her."

Percy nodded, unable to hold back the overwhelming need to smile,

"Gods," He whispered, "She's amazing."

"She is," Annabeth agreed, "She really is..."

* * *

Percy opened his eyes, jarring himself from his day-dreaming. He rubbed his eyes, pushing away the sunglasses that covered them. As he sat up, he came face-to-face with the ocean in front of him. Percy sighed with contentment, taking in the salty air and cool breeze that alleviated the heat Percy felt from the sun above. Annabeth called his name a few feet behind him, and he turned.

She walked towards him, grinning as she carried the baby in her arms. It babbled enthusiastically at the sight of Percy, as she reached her arms out towards him. Percy instantly broke into laughter as Annabeth sat down beside them on their blanket that was laid out on the sand, handing him his daughter.

"Fell asleep, did you?"

He nodded, yawning, before regarding the baby in his arms. Percy started making a slew of odd or otherwise random noises, which instantly started to make the baby laugh. He held her by her sides, lifting her through the air as he continued making the ridiculous noises. Annabeth shook her head, smiling as she watched on. He laughed briefly, before setting his daughter back onto the blanket.

"Thera's starting to get mobile," Percy observed, watching as she crawled about, "We'll be lucky if we manage to keep her from escaping her crib every five seconds."

Annabeth scooped the baby up before she could crawl towards the shore, "We'll be lucky to keep her from crawling into the ocean."

Percy leaned back, propping himself onto one elbow. Thera continued to babble on, flapping her arms through the air as she did. She grabbed for Percy's hair, but he dodged it just in time. His hand ghosted over the top of his head,

"That was close."

Percy adjusted his sunglasses, "The last time she grabbed hold of my head, there was a patch of missing hair for weeks."

"I remember," Annabeth said, snickering, "And no matter which way you combed your hair, it wouldn't cover it up."

Percy folded his arms with a disdainful, but sarcastic grunt, "No need to remind me."

He looked around, taking in the view. They couldn't have decided on a more perfect weekend to spend at Camp Half Blood. Not a single cloud obscured the aquamarine sky above the shore, as the sun made the water glitter as if flecks of gold shimmered on its surface. He breathed in again, taking in the crisp, salty air.

Beside him, Annabeth drew in a breath, "If I had to pick my favorite place in the world, I think this would be it."

"What?" Percy chuckled, "I would've guessed that it would've been the Parthenon or some other history-rich location that you go crazy for."

"The Parthenon's a close second," She replied, "And as for those other locations, I _hardly_ go crazy for them. So...What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What's your favorite place in the world, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth questioned, using her long-time nickname for him.

"Hmm..." He pondered, leaning back on his elbow as he faced her, "Well, that pizza place across the street from our apartment never exactly gets old."

"I'm serious," She laughed, elbowing him gently in the center of his chest.

"So am I!" He said, grinning with a wince, rolling away to avoid anymore blows.

Percy turned onto his back as Thera crawled towards him. He squinted up at the sun, its glowing rays still blinding, even with his sunglasses. Thera pawed for his hair as he thought about Annabeth's question.

"I don't think I have a favorite," He mumbled, "Even with all the places I've seen and gone to during quests...There's too many to pick from."

"But if you had to choose..." Annabeth pressed.

He chuckled in response, "Beats me. I don't have a favorite."

Percy glanced over again, and found Annabeth staring back. Annabeth reached out, grasping his chin gently in her hand as she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. He returned it eagerly, his hand ghosting onto her waist as he did. After a while, they managed to steady themselves, laughing quietly.

"Damn it," Percy cursed, breaking away with a faint grin, "We shouldn't be doing this here. Chiron will have our heads, even if no one else is around."

Annabeth sighed softly, "You're right. But, maybe when we get home, we can finish what we started."

Percy bit his lip, suppressing a smile, "Now, I've had my fair share of corny moments, but I think that one takes the cake."

She gently swatted his arm as he stood up, brushing sand off of himself with a snide laugh under his breath. He was jarred from his playful banter with Annabeth by Thera, who was whining under her breath.

"I think she's getting antsy," He observed, "I'll walk her around for a while."

Annabeth nodded a series of times, before reclining back on the blanket.

"While you do that, I think I'm going to catch up on some sleep."

Percy leaned over, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before scooping up Thera with a grunt,

"Gods, you're getting heavy."

He picked up her miniature sun hat as well, brushing off the coat of sand that had collected on it. Percy slipped on his flip-flops that he had cast away, before setting off down the beach. He hummed a song as he walked along, carrying his daughter. Eventually, as he got farther and farther down the beach, deeper and deeper into his made-up tune, Thera grew more and more tired. It didn't take long for her to slip into a light sleep in his arms.

Percy re-adjusted her hat, before pausing in his steps. He was near the edge of the woods that bordered the shoreline, and spotted a mossy rock that just barely stuck out. Wandering over, he sat down, holding Thera as he looked out onto the ocean. He yawned as he reclined back, and felt his eyes closing until a commanding voice jarred him,

"Wake up."

They fluttered open, as he looked around for the owner of the voice. A few feet away, the ocean's waters just barely grazing her ankles was Athena, her piercing eyes boring into him. He gulped, and was about to stand until she put her hand out,

"And there's no need for the formalities," She snipped, "I'm only here to speak to you briefly."

Percy nodded vigorously, and heard a sigh escape her. She regarded Thera, who was still sleeping soundly in his arms.

"I see you went against my wishes, even after my requst."

"I-Yes," He answered, "But if you knew your daughter as well as you thought you did, you would know that she isn't one to just give up. And neither am I."

For a moment, anger flared up on Athena's face. He straightened in his place. As terrified as he was on the inside, he knew he couldn't let it show if he was to get through to Athena. Eventually, her rage died down, but it was still prominent in her voice,

"I suppose for once, Son of Poseidon," She managed diplomatically, "That you are correct. But you would do well to remember your place while speaking to a god."

Percy swallowed the knot in his throat, before saying, "I think you and I both can agree that I've pissed off a number of gods already, I'll piss off more somehow or someway, and that I'm not exactly keen on remembering my place."

Athena nodded, sighing as she regarded Percy's daughter again,

"Perhaps you should at least make an effort."

She opened her mouth to speak again, "It's not very often that demigods survive the fate of being a demigod, or the weight that being one brings. The fact that my daughter has lived what she's been through is a wonder, but it also gives me some shape or form of hope, for future demigods. I've also noticed how much happier she has become. I've realized how much happier she's become because of you...I believe a truce is in order."

He looked up at Athena again, but kept quiet as she continued,

"This disdain I have for you, I realize now that it is unwarranted. The feud I have is with Poseidon, not his son. So, I formally apologize."

Athena stepped towards him, outstretching her hand. He put his out as well, as they clasped hands and shook briefly. Percy, under the cover of his sunglasses, winced. Gods were constantly radiating power, so shaking hands with one didn't exactly tickle. Athena broke away, pressing a weak smile. It wasn't hostile or cold, but not friendly either. Simply neutral.

"My duties on Olympus never cease to exist," She said, "So I must be off. Farewell."

Percy bowed his head slightly, "Goodbye, Lady Athena."

When he looked up again, she was gone. But near the water, where she had first been standing, something was sticking out of the sand. Percy stood, carrying Thera, as he picked it up out of the ground. Wiping the sand off of it, he examined it more closely. It was a small bracelet, made of a simple black cord. Attached to it was a carved piece of ice blue seaglass with the design of an owl.

He walked back down the beach, knowing it was for his daughter. Attaching it to her small wrist, he thought back on the brief conversation he had just had with Athena. It was all suddenly so hazy, like a dream, a trance. Had Percy not just found the bracelet, there would've been nothing to prove that the conversation had, in fact, happened. Percy trudged towards Annabeth, who sat up as they got closer.

Percy sat down carefully on the blanket, as Annabeth wordlessly took Thera in her arms. She noticed the bracelet on her wrist,

"Where'd this come from?" Annabeth questioned, "I don't remember getting this for her."

Percy shook her head, "You didn't. Athena gave it to her...I just spoke with her a minute ago."

Annabeth moved towards him, "What did she say?"

"She called a truce between us, apologized too. She realized that her feud was only with Poseidon, and not with me."

Her mouth opened and closed, as she searched for the right words. Finally, she answered,

"Gods, that's-that's great, Percy!"

They leaned towards each other, both meeting halfway at a kiss. It continued for a short while, as they broke away at intervals, before their daughter begam to wake up. Percy leaned his forehead against Annabeth's as they looked down at Thera.

"I think...I think I know where my favorite place in the world is now."

"Okay, shoot."

Percy looked up, a faint smile on his face, "Wherever you and our daughter are. That will always be my favorite place in the world."

* * *

**A/N: And that's that! I hope you guys enjoyed the story, I know I enjoyed writing it. Make sure to check back next Saturday for the next story I'll be posting. I won't say much about it other than the fact that it's an AU. So, if you're interested, it's going up December 6th.**

**Thanks!**

**Leaded-Pegasus**


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